Available land in the U.S. for renewable energy sites is continuing to shrink, found a new report released by Paces, a renewable-energy project-planning software developer.
Analyzing data from January 2024 through October 2024, Paces found decreases in the number of sites suitable for renewables, the average acreage of sites available and the average feeder capacity.
The report analyzed renewable energy site availability across 12 states:
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Illinois
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- New York
- Oregon
- Virginia
Paces defined a suitable site as a parcel with at least 1 MW of feedable capacity and at least 15 buildable acres.
Site availability declines in all states, most rapidly in Illinois
The number of suitable sites decreased by 21.9% from January to October 2024, and is expected to drop another 16.1% by mid-2025, the report said. While the number of sites available dropped in all states, the decline was the sharpest in Illinois, Oregon and Connecticut.
Average acreage of available land shrinks, making large-scale projects more difficult to pursue
The average site size decreased by 2.0%, from 44.6 acres to 43.7 acres, which is expected to decrease to 40.1 acres by mid-2025, the report said.
Oregon (17.1%) and Minnesota (0.8%) were the only states where the average site size available increased, but Paces said both are expected to drop by mid-2025.
Average feeder capacity decreases
Feeder capacity—a key metric for determining energy output—is also declining, Paces said, which further compounds site selection challenges. According to the report, the average feeder capacity decreased by 11.4%, from 4.4 MW to 3.9 MW, and is expected to drop to 3.4 MW by mid-2025. Minnesota was the only state with an increase in its average feeder capacity (17.1%). However, Paces projected the state’s feeder capacity will decline from 2.6 MW to 2.34 MW by mid-2025.
Image: Paces
The report includes further state-specific findings, which is available here.
Paces’ report is part of a quarterly series analyzing solar energy siting trends in the U.S. The last report, published in October, focused on Illinois and New York, where average acreage and feeding capacity are shrinking. Paces’ next report, which will incorporate data from November and December, is set to be published in January.
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