In Iowa, a state known for growing corn, soybeans, hay and oats, a politician submitted legislation that could dictate to landowners that they are forbidden from leasing their land for commercial solar power, if their soil meets a minimum ‘corn suitability rating’. The legislation, submitted by Senator Dan Zumbach, has already moved past Iowa’s first round of political vetting and is being discussed in the broader state law making body.
The specific text of the legislation – SF 2321 – states:
The bill provides that the owner or manager of agricultural land shall not install a commercially owned solar panel field unless the solar panel field has a CSR of 65 or lower, the solar panel field is at least one-half mile from the next solar panel field, and the solar panel field is located at least 1,250 feet from the nearest neighboring landowner.
According to the farm management firm Hertz, the Corn Suitability Rating measures the potential soil productivity based on soil profile, slope, and weather conditions. The most recent version is labeled CSR2, and the values it assigns are used by appraisers, real estate agents, and farmland investors in order to evaluate land values and analyze comparable (agricultural/corn land) sales.
An Iowa academic uploaded a walkthrough for determining the CSR2 of any specific plot of land via an online mapping tool. This author picked a random plot of land in the middle of the state, and got an output of the below map:
Per this rating, if the legislation were passed, this 283 acre parcel wouldn’t be viable for solar power. While there is seemingly 53 acres of land rated below a CSR of 65, 18% of the land highlighted above, the spread out nature of it – the yellow sections – does now allow for the needed continuity and shape that solar requires.
According to the website IowaCorn.org, 57% of the state’s corn goes directly to ethanol – which makes up approximately 7.4 million acres of land. This volume represents 27% of all ethanol manufactured in the nation.
Roughly speaking, 7.4 million acres of ethanol fields (less than 10% of US corn) could be used to generate 64% of the electricity used in the United States in 2021. This relatively small amount of land is sufficient to power more than 100% of the 3.2 trillion miles of passenger vehicles driven annually, were we to convert to a fully electric fleet.
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I have often said that before we start covering farming land we cover every rooftop, every parking lot and every commercial building with solar PV panels.. And while certainly some of this land in the article is rated poorly and would most likely not produce much if we give it a rest, fallow it for a few years it will return to its productive state. Solar panels have a place where they should be installed to produce clean power but NOT over farmland.
They should stick with wind power that is 200 feet above the field and only shades each stock for less than 10 minutes as the sun moves across the sky. This should not stop solar on the farmhouses, barns and silos and over designated farm equipment parking areas.
Edward, I agree. Placing wind power there makes a lot of sense and they can still grow whatever they want. But I’ve also seen where they’re placing solar panels in such a way that there’s still enough sunlight to grow crops. Maybe wind + solar + crops is possible in the same area?
That is also a very good suggestion. However, sometimes a more balanced approach as in wind and solar is better.
Here’s the author’s suggestion:
https://pv-magazine-usa.com/2022/03/10/solarfood-in-ethanol-fields-could-fully-power-the-united-states/
Great article. It shows what our nation needs to do. I hope the Biden admin can apply large enough incentives to move us in the agrivoltaics direction ASAP and defeat the fossil-fuel lobbyists. Those people are exploiting the mess Putin has created to try to open more lands and seas for drilling. Fossil-fuel companies are already sitting on 9,000 unused permits to drill onshore, along with record profits and billions in government subsidies and now they’re trying to grab even more. Those subsidies should be redirected to clean, renewable energy sources. Write to your senators and reps if you can.
Very well researched and written Rick.
So the question becomes, where or who is spearheading the legislative action needed to make this a reality? Good ideas based on evidence need to be heard by our elected representatives.
Excellent work.
Sounds like a case for the pacific legal foundation supporting property rights. Dont think anyone can disagree that farmland is important but there are several cases where power facilities have been developed in cooperation with agriculture
Growing corn for ethanol production for a gasoline additive, using pesticides and fossil-fuel derived fertilizers, is environmentally damaging. We’d be much better off putting solar panels there instead, producing clean electricity. But instead, we’ve got politicians running the show.
Yes right on target Dan. What comes to mind is cattle grazing and or some grain crops. But it depends on how high the panels are mounted.
Good comment.
Thomas:
Did you read the article?
“According to the website IowaCorn.org, 57% of the state’s corn goes directly to ethanol – which makes up approximately 7.4 million acres of land. This volume represents 27% of all ethanol manufactured in the nation.”
Then how about Dan’s response?
Dan
March 17, 2022 at 11:31 am
Growing corn for ethanol production for a gasoline additive, using pesticides and fossil-fuel derived fertilizers, is environmentally damaging. We’d be much better off putting solar panels there instead, producing clean electricity. But instead, we’ve got politicians running the show.
Or another thought: Gee, how about letting the market decide?
Oh, I forgot subsidies for corn (ethanol) are ok. Just don’t want gov subsidies for those lazy ass demo states!!
Yes I did read the article and put forward what I considered to be one of many solutions. However Dan’s posting offered up a different solution but yet a very good solution.
So between the two of us we might consider soil conservation, farming under the solar panels and a balanced approach to both wind and solar.
Now what is your solution and/or recommendation ?