Rapid development of distributed (small-scale) and large-scale solar energy projects is essential to accelerating the transition to net-zero carbon emissions in a way that delivers equitable, broad benefits to communities. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory and others have demonstrated there are ample suitable lands to achieve ambitious large-scale solar deployment goals, enough to power millions of homes annually. However, most of these lands have other uses that also have important economic or natural resource value (agriculture, other forms of development, natural infrastructure, habitat).
The Great Plains Institute is working with states, local governments, and solar energy stakeholders across the nation to create development standards and business models to ensure that host communities benefit from large-scale solar development. GPI has demonstrated that solar projects can support local natural systems, agricultural economic base, and community vitality if sited and designed appropriately.
Mining the Sun: Low-impact solar development
GPI has been partnering with The Nature Conservancy (TNC) on several initiatives to help communities prioritize low-impact solar development. TNC recently released its national Mining the Sun report that describes the benefits of building renewable energy on marginal lands (lands with natural limitations like poor soil or low rainfall) to avoid greenfield development (the construction of new projects on previously undeveloped land) where possible. Deploying solar on greenfields can lead to habitat disruption, loss of biodiversity, and conversion of natural spaces, underscoring the importance of prioritizing low-impact sites like former industrial or mining lands for renewable energy projects. The report also identifies resources and methods to ensure projects are financially viable and community-centered.
While there are only a few renewable energy projects on former mine lands, TNC’s Mining the Sun identifies the magnitude of the opportunity on a state-by-state basis. The report also suggests a path forward for communities and policy makers to promote and advance renewable energy development on degraded lands, or lands that have become damaged due to human activity).
Mining the Sun promotes a strategy for prioritizing low-impact sites in deploying new renewable energy while avoiding conversion of green spaces, high-value agricultural lands, and critical habitats. In particular, former mine lands are a largely untapped resource for the clean energy transition. Former mine lands are attractive as solar development sites due to features like existing infrastructure, fewer permitting barriers, and potential community support as a redevelopment strategy.
Community engagement and development of renewable energy projects
Including communities in decision-making processes and ensuring they receive fair benefits from these projects is a central tenet of GPI’s solar co-benefits model and is highlighted by TNC as a component of redeveloping mine lands as clean energy assets.
Mining communities helped build the nation’s energy foundation. Many communities relied on mines and mineral processing as an economic foundation, which faded as the mines closed. Using former mine lands as sites for renewable energy is an opportunity to restore the energy legacy and tax base for mining communities.
Moreover, engaging with communities impacted by clean energy development is crucial for ensuring equity and inclusivity. Centering communities in these projects can create jobs, skills training, revenue generation, economic growth, site cleanup, pollution reduction, land preservation, reduced electricity costs, and increased energy resilience.
To center communities effectively, robust outreach and engagement, inclusive decision-making processes, and equitable distribution of benefits are essential. These practices aim to ensure communities are genuine partners in renewable energy projects and share in their benefits equitably.
New federal incentives
The report describes federal and state funding mechanisms and policy frameworks aimed at supporting renewable energy development on mine lands and brownfields (previously developed sites that may be contaminated by pollutants or hazardous substances).
For instance, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) and Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) provide tax credits and financing programs to support renewable energy development on degraded lands:
- The IIJA includes a Clean Energy Demonstration Program on Current and Former Mine Land, with $500 million allocated for large-scale clean energy projects.
- The IRA offers expanded production and investment tax credits for clean energy technologies, with bonus credits for electricity produced in specific areas, including brownfield sites and regions with high unemployment.
The report recommends additional federal policy actions, including mitigating legal liability associated with formerly contaminated lands, providing predevelopment due diligence funding, and enhancing interagency coordination to streamline permitting processes.
Opportunities for solar on brownfields
Mining the Sun describes the significant brownfield land available and the magnitude of capitalizing off opportunities to develop solar on brownfields in specific states and forested regions throughout the country.
For example, the Central Appalachian region, particularly the Cumberland Forest, spans 250,000 acres in Kentucky, Tennessee, and Virginia. TNC, along with private equity investors, established the Cumberland Forest Limited Partnership to manage the expansive forested area. The Cumberland Forest Limited Partnership has made significant progress since its establishment in 2019, and a major success of this collaboration is that solar development on the Cumberland Forest is the first on formerly mined lands in Central Appalachia.
Mining the Sun explains that similar opportunities for solar development on brownfield sites are available with great potential in several other states throughout the United States.
State-based roadmaps
States play a significant role in regulating mine lands and brownfields, often having statutes and regulations governing reclamation and redevelopment. Mining the Sun looks specifically at ten states with significant mine land/solar development opportunities and provides a roadmap for each state, outlining policies and programs that will enable accelerated development.
Some states have adopted policies and programs to incentivize renewable energy development on degraded lands. The cost of developing solar on brownfields or similar lands that have been degraded is 10-15 percent greater than developing on a greenfield; the energy is not competitive without finding ways to mitigate the higher costs.
To provide that mitigation, several states have adopted financial incentives, streamlined permitting, and implemented liability relief measures as means to lower costs or increase project revenue. In the state roadmaps, Mining the Sun suggests adopting state-specific incentives or cost reductions via legislation and reducing complexity or risk associated with regulatory processes.
GPI’s brownfield work in Illinois: Transforming marginal lands into solar energy assets
As part of our broader effort to promote low-impact solar development that meets the priorities of host communities, GPI has been actively supporting efforts to turn underutilized, environmentally challenged lands into valuable assets for renewable energy generation. One of our key focus areas has been facilitating solar development on brownfields. This approach not only reduces development pressure on greenfields, but also ensures that solar development provides economic and environmental benefits to local communities.
GPI convened a series of workshops in Illinois focusing on low-impact solar development on brownfields and formerly mined lands. Illinois has over 40,000 acres of brownfields and 140,000 acres of former mine lands that are potentially suitable for brightfield development. These areas could remove substantial development pressure from agricultural lands if communities choose to take action. These workshops provided critical resources and guidance to communities, helping them navigate the complexities of solar development on these underutilized sites. Moreover, the sessions covered essential topics like community engagement, regulatory considerations, and strategies for aligning solar development with local goals. The workshops were designed to enable Illinois communities to unlock the potential of marginal lands for clean energy projects.
GPI is also providing direct technical assistance to communities who want to apply the workshop concepts. This assistance includes investigating whether community-owned or controlled sites are suitable for brightfield development, addressing site-specific barriers to solar redevelopment, helping with how to take advantage of new tax code provisions directed at local government clean energy projects, and helping with connecting local and state stakeholder to help projects to move forward.
GPI’s work in Illinois of redeveloping brownfields aligns with the larger national movement, as highlighted by TNC’s Mining the Sun report. Transforming brownfields into renewable energy assets demonstrates the power of low-impact solar development both to revitalize communities and advance the clean energy transition. In states like Illinois, these efforts represent a critical step forward in creating a more sustainable and equitable energy future.
Visit our Renewable Energy program page to learn more about our work and sign up for our monthly newsletter to get the latest from GPI.
