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Land Hosting Opportunities in New York State for Responsible Solar Farms
GreenSpark Solar creates responsible solar farms by partnering with New York families and their communities to find the best economical and environmentally beneficial opportunity for solar and farming to co-exist. Solar land hosts can generate a stable, incremental revenue stream while benefiting their local community with clean solar energy. If you own 20+ acres of open, unused land in New York State, you may qualify.
What is land hosting?
Land hosting allows a developer to use a portion of your owned land to build a solar array in exchange for monthly rent per acre – just like if you were renting a room in your home. Typical land hosting structures include:
– A landowner hosts the solar array in exchange for rent per acre per year.
– An owner/financier of the solar project pays for the project and reaps any tax benefits.
– A land developer designs and engineers the solar farm, procures the equipment, and completes project construction.
– A solar energy customer or “off-taker,” commonly a business, municipality, or institution, benefits from the energy produced.
Benefits of Hosting a Solar Farm
We believe that with good design and management, agriculture and energy production can co-locate on the same property in ways that benefit both the community and a farming operation. As a solar farm host, you can:
- Generate a secure and stable revenue stream
- Create long-term farm viability with diversified income
- Provide protection and insulation against changing subsidies
- Build a secure future for your family through long-term financial benefits
- Support your community with a low-risk, hands-off investment
- Rest assured, with no ongoing maintenance or liability
- Preserve the opportunity for next-generation ownership
Solar Land Host Structures with GreenSpark
Land lease structures offer the opportunity to partner with a local, values-driven company while hosting clean, locally generated solar to benefit your community. Here’s a look at the typical land lease structures and inclusions for a New York solar farm.
- 20-25 year land lease agreements.
- Typical lease rates include $1,000-$2,000 per acre* with a 1-2% escalation each year.
- No ongoing operations or maintenance obligations
- No-cost panel removal at contract conclusion by GreenSpark
*Price per acre will vary depending on the cost of interconnection, project size, property taxes, and permitting requirements.
Solar Farm Revenue Per Acre
We work with the land host and municipality partners to identify and prioritize solar development within marginal or less productive farmland. This allows solar farm land hosts to work within their town’s guidelines while adding lucrative yields per acre on land that wouldn’t otherwise produce.
When you compare what you could earn per acre of solar energy to an acre of corn, soy, or hay, it’s easy to see how the incremental revenue starts to stack up.
*1) GreenSpark Solar minimum solar farm lease payment 2) USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service, 2023 State Agriculture Overview, New York
Land Requirements for Solar Farms
When GreenSpark evaluates land for solar farm development, we assess viability based on the following requirements:
- Property is located in New York State
- 20 or more acres.
- Three-phase power: To confirm, check a nearby utility pole. If it has three wires on top, it is three-phase power.
- 12kV circuit or higher
- A limited number of projects in the interconnection queue
Why Land Host with GreenSpark Solar?
It’s our mission to accelerate the deployment of community solar projects while strengthening farm viability and safeguarding land well-suited for farming. As an independently owned, local solar company, we’re committed to supporting our community by creating fiercely local, cost-effective, clean energy options.
Committed to Quality and Best Practices
GreenSpark is a proud member-owner of the Amicus Solar Cooperative. Through this membership, we collaborate with independent solar companies across North America, sharing knowledge and best practices while maintaining our local independence.
A Team that Cares About Your Community and The Environment
GreenSpark Solar is committed to a triple bottom line of people, planet, and profit. This means you’re working with a team equally dedicated to supporting the goals of our partners, our customers, and their communities, while making a difference in our environment.
Trusted NYSERDA Gold Quality Installer
GreenSpark is one of just seven, out of 321, to achieve the NYSERDA (New York State Energy Research and Development Authority) Gold Quality Solar Installer status in New York State. This badge assures GreenSpark customers that they are working with an externally vetted, trustworthy, and quality installer.
Here for You Every Step of the Way
Our expert, local team has over 23 years of experience in the solar industry and is here for you every step, from initial consultation to permitting and even after construction is completed. We ensure a streamlined communication process and that we’re always accessible.
A Land Hosting Case Study: The Schreiber Family
GreenSpark partnered with the Schreiber family for this 2.2 MW solar array in Ontario, NY. The stakeholders involved included:
– The farmland owner (Schreiber family).
– The project owner (Home Leasing).
– The off-taker (also Home Leasing in this circumstance).
– The developer (GreenSpark Solar).
Now, the Schreiber family benefits from additional income from their farmland, and the Ontario community benefits from clean, affordable solar power.
Interested? Let's chat.
Please note: We are only considering properties located in New York State at this time.
Solar Farms and Land Hosting FAQs
First, a solar farm developer (which in most cases is a business, municipality, or an institution) pays for the cost to develop the solar farm. The land owner incurs no cost to develop their property.
The cost to build a solar farm depends on several factors, including the number of acres on the land, how much energy you want the solar farm to produce, and other unique details about the land that could affect permits or installation. GreenSpark Solar has an expert team that works closely with the developer and landowner to provide an estimate based on what’s needed for the project.
GreenSpark is the operations and maintenance partner for the lifetime of any solar project we develop, so no matter what relationship you have with the solar farm, you won’t have to worry about handling any ongoing oversight or maintenance of your solar farm.
The terms of most lease agreements involve the developer removing all equipment at the end of the contract. Decommissioning a solar project includes replacing topsoil that may have been removed so that the land can return to being farmed. The project owner pays for the decommissioning of a project, and the local permitting authority typically requires the security of this process before the project is even built.
Solar farms take about 2-3 years to complete from the start of the project; however, lease payments typically begin as soon as substantial construction begins, which usually happens at about the 18-month mark. Additionally, many lease contracts include a bonus payment at signing, depending on contract negotiations.
In any case, it’s important to initiate the process as soon as possible. Municipal substations have limited capacity, and as such, it’s essential to secure your spot before another land host or developer does.
Solar farms have positive environmental impacts. They temporarily remove land from agricultural use but allow the soil to rest and replenish during the solar farm’s 20+ year lifespan, improving soil quality and biodiversity. Solar panels are raised above the ground, leaving space for plant growth, wildlife, or other agricultural activities. During permitting, developers ensure minimal impact on habitats and wildlife, avoiding sensitive areas like wetlands.
Solar developers like GreenSpark Solar also collaborate with communities to address specific environmental concerns, often adding trees or vegetative screens to the solar farm design to minimize visual impact.
