Your Guide to Solar Farms: Benefits, Safety & FAQs

GreenSpark's Guide to Solar Farms for Landowners, Developers, and Communities

Solar farms are one of the fastest-growing ways to generate clean, cost-effective electricity while supporting local communities. But how do they work, what exactly do they look like, and how do they impact neighbors, landowners, and the environment?

This guide answers the most common questions about solar farms—drawing from GreenSpark Solar’s 20+ years of experience developing and maintaining community-scale projects across the Northeast and beyond.

👉 For a closer look, watch our short video tour of a real solar farm aquí.

How does a solar farm work?

A solar farm consists of rows of photovoltaic modules (or solar panels, as they are more commonly referred to) mounted on sturdy racks. These panels convert sunlight into direct current (DC) electricity, which inverters then convert into alternating current (AC), the type of electricity used by homes and businesses. This power then flows into the local utility grid, where it is distributed to nearby residential communities or commercial facilities that subscribe to receive this low-cost, clean energy.

Some solar farms use fixed-tilt racking, while others use single-axis tracker systems that follow the sun throughout the day. Trackers allow the panels to generate more electricity from the same land footprint, improving project efficiency and economics.

Solar farms are typically sized in megawatts (MW); on average, 1 MW of solar can power about 180 New York homes for a year, according to SEIA.¹ That means that this 2.7 MW tracker project, located in Huron, New York, powers the equivalent of nearly 500 homes.

Will I see a solar farm nearby?

Solar farms are carefully sited to blend into the landscape. Developers like GreenSpark preserve existing tree lines wherever possible, and add rows of native evergreen plantings to screen views from neighboring properties where clear sightlines exist.

What about glare from the solar panels?

Modern panels are designed with anti-reflective coatings, which means they absorb sunlight rather than reflect it and pose little to no risk of glare pollution. In fact, according to NREL, the national laboratory of the U.S. Department of Energy, modern photovoltaic panels reflect less than 3% of incoming sunlight, comparable to the reflection from still water, underscoring how minimal panel glare typically is.²

What do solar farms sound like?

Once construction is complete, solar farms are nearly silent.

Inverters and transformers produce a steady hum that measures about 50–65 decibels at the source—similar to a refrigerator or everyday conversation.³
Tracker motors make a brief, low whirring sound when adjusting panel angles. This happens only a few times a day, for seconds at a time.
By the time sound reaches the perimeter fence, it is indistinguishable from the everyday background noise of the surrounding rural farmland.⁴

Watch the video clip below to see the noise analysis our GreenSpark development team conducted on one of our recently completed community solar sites.

How do solar farms benefit communities?

Community-scale solar projects are different from large utility-scale power plants that send electricity hundreds of miles away. Instead, they connect directly to the local grid, delivering power where it’s needed most.

Key benefits include:

Lower energy costs: Residents and businesses can subscribe to community solar without installing panels on their property.
Tax revenue: Municipalities receive reliable payments through assessments or PILOT agreements, funding schools, infrastructure, and services without raising taxes.

A PILOT (Payment in Lieu of Taxes) is a simple agreement between a solar developer and the town, county, or school district. Since New York State law exempts solar projects from standard property taxes, a PILOT ensures that the community still benefits. Instead of paying property tax, the developer makes a set annual payment—providing towns and schools with steady, predictable revenue to support local services.
Resilient grid infrastructure: Local projects improve reliability and reduce strain on transmission systems.
Clean energy leadership: Solar helps communities achieve Clean Energy Community y Climate Smart Community certifications, unlocking additional grant opportunities.

Do solar farms displace farmers?

A common misconception is that solar farms replace agriculture. In reality, they often help sustain it.

For farmers, the lease revenue generated through solar land hosting creates a stable source of long-term income, helping to keep land in the family and operations viable even when crop prices fluctuate.
Many projects also preserve prime soils through conservation easements or allow for dual use—such as solar grazing to naturally maintain vegetation under the panels.

Rather than displacing agriculture, solar farms can provide financial stability that keeps farms operating for generations.

Are solar farms safe for people and wildlife?

Yes. Solar farms are one of the safest forms of energy generation.

For people: Solar panels do not produce emissions, fumes, or harmful radiation. The small amount of electromagnetic fields (EMFs) produced by inverters and transformers is lower than what’s emitted by common household devices like microwaves or cell phones.^⁵
For wildlife: Sites are typically planted with pollinator-friendly seed mixes and native grasses, creating habitat for bees, butterflies, and birds. Perimeter fencing is designed to keep equipment secure while allowing small animals to pass through safely.
For the environment: Solar farms displace fossil fuel use and reduce stormwater runoff when paired with native vegetation or green infrastructure.

What happens at the end of its useful life?

Solar farms are typically designed to operate for 25–30 years, managed closely through an operations and maintenance contract. At the end of that period, they are decommissioned responsibly:

Panels, racking, and electrical equipment are removed.
Recyclable materials like glass and aluminum are recovered. In fact, according to the Department of Energy, solar panels are comprised of more than 85% of readily recyclable materials.⁶
The land is restored to its original condition or repurposed for farming and other uses.

Financial assurances, like a dedicated fund set aside by the developer that’s agreed to at the start of a project, guarantee that the solar farm will be removed and the land restored—at no cost to the town or landowner.

Acerca de GreenSpark Solar

Based in Rochester, NY, GreenSpark Solar is a nationally recognized clean energy partner and the #1 Community Solar installer in the United States (Solar Power World, Top Solar Contractor 2025). With more than 350 MW of clean energy deployed, we partner with developers, municipalities, landowners, and businesses across the Northeast, Midwest, and Mid-Atlantic to design, build, and maintain high-performing solar projects. Our in-house Operations & Maintenance team ensures every project performs for the long haul.

Más información sobre nuestro developer partnerships, land hosting opportunitiesy O&M services.

¿Todavía tiene preguntas?

We know solar farms are a big decision for communities and landowners. If you have questions we didn’t cover here—or if you’re a landowner or municipality exploring solar development opportunities—get in touch with our team today.

References:

Solar Energy Industries Association. What’s in a Megawatt? Retrieved from https://seia.org/whats-in-a-megawatt/
NREL. Research and Analysis Demonstrate the Lack of Impacts of Glare from Photovoltaic Modules. Retrieved from https://www.nrel.gov/solar/market-research-analysis/blog/posts/research-and-analysis-demonstrate-the-lack-of-impacts-of-glare-from-photovoltaic-modules
Yale University Environmental Health & Safety. Noise and Hearing Conservation Program. Retrieved from https://ehs.yale.edu/noise-hearing-conservation
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. Assessing and Mitigating Noise Impacts. Program Policy Memorandum DEP-00-1. Retrieved from https://extapps.dec.ny.gov/docs/permits_ej_operations_pdf/noise2000.pdf
Columbia Law School, Sabin Center for Climate Change Law. Rebutting 35 False Claims About Solar, Wind, and Electric Vehicles. Retrieved from https://poweralliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Rebutting-33-False-Claims-About-Solar-Wind-and-Electric-Vehicle.pdf
Department of Energy. Beyond Recycling: Reducing Waste from Solar Modules Before They’re Even Made. Retrieved fromhttps://www.energy.gov/eere/solar/articles/beyond-recycling-reducing-waste-solar-modules-theyre-even-made