Solar

Question

Has anyone leased land to a solar company? If you have, what are your thoughts and who did you lease to

Answer

be careful. Read the contract and think long term. I farm in the West where blue state govs love this stuff. They’ll lock up 300ac and put panels on 30. You get paid for the 30 but they’ll fence off all 300. I’m guessing there’s a fair amount of negotiating you could do. Here they take DNR ground folks have farmed for years and destroy it and the state doesn’t negotiate a reasonable contract, you just get the boot. They’re also extremely aggressive. They’ve tried to detain ranchers who were picking up the fence posts they tore out and threw away (they had previously agreed to let them have them). Took about 15 local farmers showing up with some deputies to calm things down. 
 
 So be careful, and I hope if it’s the right call for you it works out ok.

Answer

iam working on one right now about 900 acres of farm ground taken about a month of lease work changing adding this and that trying to think of anything I can 35-40 years is a long time if it happens but I made it very clear they put one panel up it’s all acres will be paid the land man said ok so will see

Answer

I wouldn't even consider signing a solar contract without letting a lawyer that I trust look at it. They have lawyers writing those contracts. There needs to be a time limit on how long they have to do the project a clear end date and it needs to for sure pay you enough that it's worth it at every stage of the project. My lawyer tells me that he's seen a number of solar installation companies file bankruptcy and then the company that buys their assets isn't holden to the previous companies contracts.

Answer

What happens when lease is up? I'd be worried of ground contamination from glycol. I know of one where they stripped top soil off and sold it. That farm is useless for eternity.

Call (844) 200-FARM

Solar

Save on Select Herbicides + Adjuvants

Join the Community Forum. It’s Free.