One of the major challenges faced in developing renewable energy projects is acquiring the necessary land area to install the required infrastructure. Renewable energy technologies such as solar farms, wind farms, and hydroelectric projects require large amounts of relatively undisturbed land space to implement on a utility scale. The land acquisition process can be difficult, time-consuming, and expensive which delays projects and increases costs.
For solar and wind farms, the footprint needed per megawatt (MW) of installed capacity is significant. A typical solar farm may require 5-10 acres of land per MW while a wind farm generally needs 150-250 acres per MW. With the goal of deploying hundreds of MW or even multiple gigawatts (GW) of renewable capacity, land needs escalate quickly. Finding contiguous parcels of land that are suitable in size, have access roads and transmission infrastructure, and have no environmental or community constraints is a major challenge.
Ownership of suitable land parcels is also an issue as renewable energy companies must negotiate with private landowners to lease or purchase the rights to develop projects. Private landowners do not always want to sell or lease portions of their property for renewable energy use which limits options. Agricultural or rural land is often the most economical for renewables but farmers and ranchers may be hesitant to remove acres from production. Cultural attachment to family land also acts as a deterrent at times.
When suitable publicly owned land is available, new challenges emerge. Federal, state, or local government entities oversee public lands and require extensive approvals, environmental reviews, stakeholder engagement processes, and competitive bidding between renewable energy developers. Even if a developer is selected, public agencies are sometimes criticized for “selling off” public assets or impacting viewsheds and recreation. Local communities also raise concerns about impacts to ecosystems, heritage sites, and rural character.
Transmission capacity is another major barrier as renewable energy facilities are often sited in remote or rural areas far from existing transmission lines and population centers where the power is needed. Acquiring rights-of-way and traversing private lands to build new transmission infrastructure to intertie projects adds time, complexity and cost to land development efforts. Transmission siting is governed by a complex federal, state, and sometimes local regulatory framework which slows the process down significantly. Interconnection studies and upgrades at substations must also be planned.
State and local level regulations can also hinder land acquisition. Some jurisdictions have imposed moratoriums on certain types of renewable energy development until new siting and permitting guidelines are established. Comprehensive plans and zoning ordinances need revisions to openly accommodate utility-scale renewable facilities. Restrictive setback distances from property lines, environmentally sensitive areas, or residential zones limit development options. Other regulations addressing decommissioning plans, stormwater management, and cultural/historic resource protection introduce uncertainty.
Environmental review and permitting processes take considerable time. Regulators thoroughly assess impacts to wildlife habitats, endangered species, wetlands, water resources, archaeological sites, and more before approvals are granted. Previously undisturbed greenfield sites usually face greater regulatory hurdles than already developed industrial lands. Legal challenges and appeals from opponents anxious to “not in my backyard” types of projects further protract the timeline.
Weighing all these challenges, it typically takes renewable energy developers 3-7 years on average just to acquire land, obtain permits and approvals, build new transmission infrastructure, and start construction of a major utility-scale renewable project. The lengthy process drives up soft costs significantly and challenges the economic viability of projects. Innovation in siting strategies, streamlined regulations, transmission coordination, and communitybenefits agreements have helped to accelerate development in some areas but land acquisition remains one of the most complex barriers for renewable energy. With sufficient political and social will, many challenges could be overcome or mitigated to unlock more suitable lands for large-scale clean power generation.