Hello there, this is Yi from SoCal. I’m interested in investing land and securing solar land lease. I’m still quite new for this area (1 option to lease signed and 1 currently negotiating) and looking for people (agents, investors etc) to work together.
Hey @aleph9999, welcome to the forum!
Is this one property you’ve got an option to lease ready to go for an energy company (zoned correctly, ideal size and proximity, etc.), or does it require any changes in order to be usable for that purpose?
I interviewed a guy on this topic back in late-2023, if you’re looking for any insights on how to find good parcels for this purpose.
Typically solar developers will go through these details (zoned, size and proximity) as much as possible before they move to option agreement. I always research these information before contacting developer. Preparing application needs cost for study and they also want to reduce chance of failure whenever possible.
However, there’s always uncertainty (substation/capacity is the one, you can’t really get for sure before developer sends application), public hearing/permit is another uncertainty. Ideal lots are generally very expensive and I am bearing some risk for balancing cost/risk and potential profit.
And thanks for your information, just to emphasize finding ideal parcel priced correctly is always a challenge for me but interesting process.
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@aleph9999 I can totally see how this would be a challenge. I haven’t done enough work in this realm to know for sure, but I would imagine there aren’t a huge number of parcels that fit the exact profile of what needs to be there for a solar farm while also being available at the right price.
@aleph9999 what states or parts of the country is there even demand for this kind of land? I don’t know much about the industry, but I imagine solar energy is a bigger thing in the southern states than the northern ones, is that right?
If I wanted to spot these kinds of opportunities, would I just be wasting my time if I looked in a state like Minnesota or North Dakota? I wonder if there are any heat maps that would show which parts of the country make the most and least sense for this kind of project.
Solar land leasing is actually more than solar power potential itself, I’d say regulation plays big role. Some state prefer small community solar while some prefer large utility scale solar.
For example, from the link shared by @retipsterseth, you’ll find states with active community solar policy isn’t fully south. AZ isn’t active on this while NY is quite active. MN is also a hotspot for such projects these years.
There’s probably map showing this… but I usually just check news/regulations/ordinance/developer’s site to see if they are active on this.
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You also need top talk with Pete Reese from land Conquest. he is looking for solar lease deals. maybe you can partner up.