Community Solar Legislation Supports Farmers Rural Landowners

By Andi Anderson

New legislation has been introduced to establish a strong and sustainable community solar program, often referred to as the Local Generation Act.

The proposal is designed to expand access to locally produced solar energy while supporting farmers, rural landowners, and local communities.

A central goal of the bill is to help farmers and rural landowners diversify and increase income from their land. Community solar projects would allow agricultural land to remain productive through solar farming practices.

These include livestock grazing, forage production, and growing farm to market crops around solar panels. In cases where active farming is not preferred, planting perennial grasses and managed vegetation can improve soil health, increase organic matter, and reduce erosion over time.

The legislation establishes clear and reasonable rules for subscriber participation. Landowners or businesses with more than one electric meter would be allowed to subscribe all meters to one or more community solar projects.

This flexibility supports farms and rural operations with multiple buildings or locations. The bill also provides clear guidance on how subscriber credits are calculated and allocated, helping ensure transparency and fairness for all participants.

Another important feature allows larger community solar projects on brownfield sites. These sites are often unusable for traditional farming or development.

Under the bill, brownfields could host community solar projects of up to 20 megawatts, turning existing liabilities into long term income producing assets for landowners.

Rural electric cooperatives are given flexibility under the proposal. They may authorize community solar projects within their service areas but are not required to participate.

This opt out option respects local decision making while still allowing cooperative members to benefit from community solar if approved.

The legislation also provides clear guidance for project decommissioning at the end of a solar project’s life. Rules outline how panels and infrastructure must be removed and require financial protections to ensure landowners and municipalities are not left with cleanup costs.

Overall, the bill offers a practical alternative to large scale solar projects. It supports local control, diversified agriculture, energy affordability, and rural economic development while laying the foundation for a successful community solar program.

Photo Credit: istock-shansekala