Community solar is the new frontier for energy development in the United States. At its core, community solar is efficiently sized solar arrays built to maximize energy production, allowing a wider audience to benefit from clean energy. Many Americans would like to get clean energy but don’t own a home or live somewhere else where solar power will simply not work. This is true for businesses as well. Community solar allows energy to be produced in one place and used by a consumer in another place.
This article explores community solar development and the projected role landowners will play in helping to get renewable energy projects started.
What Is Community Solar?
Specifically, community solar is an energy-producing solar site located on a large tract of land that serves nearby homes, apartments, and businesses. Because community solar is located in areas that get lots of sunshine, the recipients of the energy produced typically are able to save on their electric bills and protect themselves from never-ending electric rate increases.
Before community solar, renters, apartment dwellers, and many businesses simply could not participate in the renewable energy revolution. In the past, if you did not own your roof, then your options were extremely limited. Community solar breaks those barriers allowing homeowners and businesses access to local solar farm projects.
What Does A Community Solar Project Involve?
Community solar projects take time to go from initial concept to clean energy-producing sites. There are multiple steps and layers involved.
1. Land Requirements
Suitable land to site the project is crucial. Some minimum land requirements include size, topography, and proximity to three-phase power. Once a site is identified there are two main hurdles to overcome: zoning and utility approval.
2. Local Zoning
The project must be accepted by the local town or community. This may involve a zoning approval in addition to required building and electrical permits. At the same time local approval is being worked on, and getting the ‘yes’ from the electric utility is also underway.
3. Utility Approval
The local electric company will need to determine if the existing network of wires and substations can accommodate this new supply of energy. Community solar projects typically require building some infrastructure to connect with the grid. On the bright side, once approved and accepted into the electric grid, a community solar project has a valuable guarantee that its energy will be used for decades to come.
The Role Of Landowners
Land is a crucial piece of the community solar process. Those big fields of solar panels need to be in a stable area that will not change during the project’s lifespan, which can be 25 years or more. This long timeframe is a big reason why solar development might be a great opportunity for some landowners.
Benefits Of Community Solar
Imagine not having to worry about the weather or declining commodity prices anymore. For landowners, allowing solar projects on their ground means steady, consistent payments for decades to come. Let’s explore some of the key benefits of community solar.
Revenue Generating Asset
Long-term land leases produce significant, recurring revenue for the landowner. It is also possible for landowners to earn more revenue as the underlying price of the electricity produced increases year after year.
Tax Incentives
Some projects also allow landowners to receive valuable tax incentives. These tax incentives can be used to offset income and in most cases can be “carried forward” to consecutive tax years.
Land Value
Developing a solar project may also improve the value of the land itself. It is one thing to own land that produces no income, and quite another to own land that generates a known dollar amount per acre, per year.
Protection Against Housing Development
Developing solar projects for a community to use also acts as a brake against senseless development. Landowners can help their own communities gain access to clean energy while protecting against unwanted, non-sustainable development.
Community Benefits
Besides the real economic value a landowner can expect to receive for their role in developing solar projects, there is also a benefit to the community at large. Without community solar, the clean energy revolution might skip renters, city dwellers, and many businesses in your area. Those missing out on solar are going to pay an ever-increasing share of rising energy costs. Worse yet, the incumbent sources of energy are dirty and inefficient.
In many communities, gas and coal-produced electricity is the only option. This hurts in two real ways.
- Pollution and greenhouse gas emissions from coal and gas are real health threats, especially for infants and children. This pollution hurts us today and continues to create havoc as our planet warms even further.
- Despite a 100-year head start, the incumbent gas and coal energy producers cost more today than solar power. Community solar projects allow your neighbors to buy electricity for less. Your neighbors will have more for their own families.
Does Your Land Qualify?
Landowners will naturally wonder if their own properties can participate in the clean energy revolution. While projects vary in size and land conditions, there are some common features to most community solar projects:
- Acreage is important and 10 acres is typically considered a minimum requirement.
- Flat ground is best but varying topography is also okay for projects.
- Your land should also get good sun. A parcel on the north side of a steep slope is nowhere as valuable as a south-facing area.
- Wet marshy areas, while not necessarily a deal killer, are less suitable than dry areas removed from flood zones.
- Existing power lines nearby are helpful as they might reduce future development costs when interconnecting with the electric grid.
- A tract of land without any zoning restrictions, easements, or historical significance is ideal.
How To Get Started
Genie Solar Energy can help landowners who are considering community solar opportunities. We can walk you through an initial free site assessment on your site.
If your site is promising, then we can help you understand the benefits you can expect to earn from your land. The framework involved follows a simple multi-step process:
- Land Evaluation: During this phase, we will evaluate the condition of your land and its viability for a community solar project.
- Lease Agreement: Once the land has been qualified, a lease between the landowner (lessee) and Genie Solar Energy (lessor) will be proposed and executed. All terms and conditions are covered in this lease agreement.
- Site Work: With a lease in place, real work can then begin on-site to bring clean energy to the grid. Genie Solar Energy will handle all of the coordination and construction involved.
- Project Timeline: The entire process can take anywhere from 18-24 months from ‘yes’ to electrons flowing into the grid.
Ready To Explore Community Solar On Your Land?
Make no mistake, community solar projects are million-dollar investments designed to serve your community with clean, inexpensive energy. As a landowner, you want to work with a company that has a proven track record. Experience matters and few companies can match the achievements of Genie Solar Energy.
If you are thinking about moving forward and learning more, then connecting with Genie Solar Energy should be your next step. We offer a free initial consultation that will quickly help you discover how to participate in the clean energy revolution. Contact our team today for a land consultation.
