By Tim Powers, Research and Policy Associate
The vast expansion of solar electricity generation is crucial to achieving the U.S. goal of having 80%
emissions-free energy by 2030. Generating that power over the next eight years will require a great
deal of land. Developing sustainable solar projects requires evaluating the lowest impact on the
land with high-efficiency equipment and processes that make the most of every square inch of an
installation. This sustainable approach to land use is what we at Inovateus call “Solar Green Zones.”
We define Solar Green Zones as land comprised of open, lower-impact areas that can be cost-
efficiently used for the sustainable development of utility solar power.
Solar Green Zones can be agricultural land, open undeveloped land, and, in general, land that can be
developed for solar with minimal impact on the environment and ecosystems. When selecting Solar Green Zones, our goal is to generate the most energy production per square foot, minimizing land usage while maximizing kilowatt-hour (kWh) yield. Having a smaller overall project footprint means increased protection of local habitat, wildlife, vegetation, and food
production.
Once Inovateus finds a parcel of land that could become a Solar Green Zone, Inovateus applies
several sustainable strategies for Solar Green Zone development.
Green Zone Solar Equipment Strategies that Minimize Land Use
One way to shrink the land needed for a utility solar project is by leveraging the latest solar
technology. Single-axis trackers, high-wattage solar panels, bifacial solar panels, and higher-
efficiency solar panels are all technologies that convert more sunlight into energy, thus maximizing
the energy yield per square foot of land.
For example, bifacial solar panels produce power on both sides of the solar panel, increasing power
density. An ongoing comparison study conducted by PV Magazine and Clean Energy
Associates shows that bifacial modules can yield 7% more energy than average modules with
comparable solar cell technology.
Similarly, manufacturers are increasing the physical size of solar modules and solar cells. By
selecting modules with larger cells and/or more cells per panel, solar developers can now purchase
panels that each produce between 500 and 800 watts, a tremendous increase over traditional
modules that generate 300 to 450 watts.
New milestones for solar cell and panel efficiency are also being broken. Conventional solar panels
capture around 17% to 20% of the sunlight that hits the panel. The latest and most advanced panels
and cells can now capture 26% of the sunlight, decreasing overall equipment costs and land usage.
This new era of higher energy yield solar panels can also be combined with single-access trackers
(SATs). SATs can increase energy production by 32% compared to a fixed-tilt racking system, once
again maximizing the generation capacity of a parcel of land.
Green Zone Pollinator Habitat and Soil Improvement Strategies
Where soil is present, Green Zone solar development projects have an obligation to preserve
natural ecosystems and to protect agricultural land for crops.
One way to accomplish these goals is through planting pollinator grass habitats at our solar
projects. Doing so enhances soil quality over the life of the solar project, especially for Highly
Erodible Land (HEL). Soil improvements come from increased earthworms and more organic
matter being reincorporated into the soil. Often erodible land goes unused, creating an opportunity
to increase landowner income and improve soil health.
With Inovateus’ sustainable vegetation management best practices, landowners benefit when their
land is returned to them after the solar project’s decommissioning. Having 30 years of plant-
pollinator grass habitat rather than gravel or non-pollinator grasses delivers regenerated soil,
increased organic matter, improvement of highly eroded land, and increased habitat for pollinators.
Green Zone Tree and Vegetation Protection Strategies
Removing trees and vegetation for solar development reduces important carbon-capturing
vegetation. Solar land development that ignores tree and vegetation protection takes on many risks,
including soil erosion, flooding, and needlessly increasing carbon emissions.
When selecting land as a Solar Green Zone, Inovateus first looks for land that has no tree or
vegetation removal needs. Most often, the land is previously developed farm and agricultural land.
Not only does this strategy preserve the surrounding ecosystem, but it also avoids clear-cutting and
other development costs from uncultivated land.
When 100% clear land is not available, sustainably-minded developers can plant new trees and
vegetation in other areas to offset the vegetation and tree removal.
Green Zone Habitat Preservation Strategies
A key priority for environmental reports is analyzing the presence of endangered or threatened
species. Inovateus keeps biodiversity in mind as we select land for utility solar projects, practicing
minimal impact efforts and avoiding the degradation of key species’ habitats.
When a solar project ignores species protection, the impacts can include destruction of important
habitats, increased dust, poorer air quality, noise effects, habitat fragmentation, direct species
mortality, water consumption effects, and more.
Evaluation of siting decisions for environmental suitability of a utility solar project is important for
protecting fragile environments and avoiding sensitive areas. Some of these areas include natural
wetlands, marshes, some deserts, semi-arid lands, mountains, small islands, certain coastal areas,
and other federally or locally protected lands.
Inovateus looks for unprotected land that is not environmentally fragile. After a potential site meets
basic technical and financial criteria for connecting to a utility, we then perform environmental
impact assessments to determine if there are any listed endangered or threatened species on the
site and ensure that a solar installation won’t impede on their habitat. By reviewing the entire site,
we also evaluate the building of transmission lines and other potential impacts that would require
mitigation for permitting and sustainable development.
Solar Green Zones and Farmland
Critical farmland that can affect the market for crops, such as corn and soy, should be avoided for
solar development. However, agricultural markets can be volatile and negatively impact a
landowner’s financial viability of maintaining and owning the land. Solar can be an opportunity for
landowners to convert their unused or unprofitable acreage into Solar Green Zones.
More farmers are considering leasing their land for solar due to their local drought conditions,
labor shortages, volatile pricing due to global trade policies, rising interest rates, taxes, and other
negative market forces. These farmers can benefit from the additional solar income stream,
dedicating their Green Zone farmland to a long-term solar lease that protects their land while
generating steady and predictable income.
Do you own a potential Solar Green Zone? You can learn more about land evaluation for utility solar
development in our webinar, How to Evaluate Your Land for Building Solar Power Plants.
