Solar farms, often referred to as solar facilities or solar projects, are energy systems designed to generate electricity for commercial or utility use. Solar farms passively capture naturally occurring sunlight and convert it to clean renewable energy on a scale large enough to supply electricity for daily living in our homes, businesses, and schools. The solar panels are linked to inverters and transformers that convert the sunlight into usable electricity, which is then transferred to the existing electrical grid.

The development process is everything that occurs prior to constructing the solar project. This process entails performing environmental studies, utility electrical studies, site design, seeking zoning approval, and building permits. This process typically takes between 2.5 - 3.5 years.

Project Development (2.5 – 3.5 years)

Project Construction (6-8 months)

Yes. You will receive due diligence payments (option payments) during development up until your rent payments commence. The terms of your lease will outline how long the due diligence period is and how much you will receive in due diligence payments.

Solar farms are generally considered safe and pose minimal risk to the environment and public health. The main components of a solar farm, such as solar panels and inverters, do not produce harmful emissions or pollutants and do not pose a risk of fire or explosion.

Solar farms are designed and constructed according to all required building and electrical codes and safety measures. Site plans and electrical drawings are reviewed and approved by local authorities, and regularly inspected through construction as required by local ordinance or state building code. A perimeter security fence prevents trespassing and vandalism.

Solar farms are generally considered to be low-noise environments. The main components of a solar farm, such as solar panels and inverters, do not produce significant noise during operation. Some additional equipment like transformers may produce some low-level background noise, but it is typically not significant enough to cause disturbance in the surrounding area. During peak power production, the inverters may produce sound in the low-range of 65 decibels at a distance of 30 feet, comparable to the sound created during a normal conversation.

Solar farms, by nature of their design, have a low profile. Developers will keep as much of the existing vegetation around the perimeter of the project as possible as well as potentially adding a vegetative buffer between the project boundaries and nearby roadways.

Once constructed, solar farms require very little maintenance. The inverters and transformers are typically serviced once a quarter. The panels require no on-site water or chemicals to keep clean. Natural weather conditions, such as snow and rain, occur with enough frequency and quantity to naturally keep the panels clean.

Mowing and vegetation management will be done by a professional commercial vegetation management contractor and will typically occur at least twice a year and on a more frequent basis as determined by the jurisdiction’s planning board and contractor‘s service agreement.

Yes, solar farms are low-impact development and operate safely without negative impacts to neighboring farms or soils. During operation, the land can rest and rebuild, leaving soils aerated with new layers of topsoil, similar to traditional land-fallowing practice. At the end of the solar farm’s useful life, the pilings are removed and the land is returned to its original state.

Solar farms can provide an important source of investment and local revenue for communities and jurisdictions. For example, during construction solar farms help to generate local construction jobs and economic activity for community businesses such as hotels, hardware stores, and restaurants.

When operational, solar farms often pay tax or PILOT payments to city, school, and county jurisdictions depending on the jurisdiction’s local laws. The tax revenue supports community services such as roads and schools without requiring community resources such as water or police services.

The amount you as the landowner pay in annual taxes should not increase. Tax impacts vary by location, and I ensure that developers take responsibility for any increase in taxes as a result of the solar farm being located on your property. The terms of the lease agreement will ensure the developer pays any increase in taxes.

Wildlife is protected by the use of a perimeter fence to prevent access by large mammals, such as deer. Large animals are prevented from entering the site because they can interfere with equipment, damage wiring, or injure themselves.

Smaller animals, such as squirrels and birds, can pass throughout the facility following construction. The environment in the solar facility is often conducive to a wildlife habitat because of its natural vegetation, significant amount of shade and relative lack of human disruption. Wildlife access to electrical equipment is prevented with conduit protection for wires and foam sealing at all equipment entry points.

Solar projects are decommissioned when they reach the end of their useful life. The decommissioning process for a solar farm typically involves the project owner removing the solar panels, electrical components, and all other equipment, and restoring the site to its original condition.

Neither the residents of the county nor the landowners will pay any costs associated with restoring the land to agricultural use once the equipment is removed from the site. A decommissioning security in the form of a decommissioning bond, a decommissioning plan, and/or a decommissioning agreement is typically required as a condition of approval and a condition of the lease agreement.