Let s look at an example from landmark dividend.
Is my land suitable for solar panels.
Depending on the current land use of the lessee solar may or may not be allowed on the site.
Approximately 100 square feet is required for every 1 kw of solar panels needed.
To be cost effective a solar panel installation needs a large parcel of contiguous land according to the university of arizona.
In other terms we can say that for each 1 kw of solar panels you need 100 sqft of an area on average.
When we use thin film technology a 1mw plant will require an average of 4 5 to 5 acres of land.
This takes into account the suitability of the specific site any potential impact on the area and relevant renewable energy targets.
It is assumed at 4 5 acres for crystalline silicon c si technology and 7 8 acres per mw for thin film solar a si or cdte technology.
If a property is suitable for ranching or farming the property owner can probably earn more money renting the land out for these uses.
Chances are if you own a piece of suitable land in xcel energy s service territory at least one solar company has reached out to discuss leasing your land for one of their projects.
While dozens of landowners have explored this opportunity many more have opted not to consider a ground lease for a solar project.
If current farming operations are suitable for solar or unused land exists solar may be suitable.
There are a few factors that determine whether or not your land is suitable for a solar farm.
About 5 acres of land per mw for solar pv crystalline is required.
Here s what you need to consider.
However this is a rough estimate as space can also be influenced by the efficiency of the panels and technology.