The American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), America’s largest membership organization of state legislators committed to the principles of free markets and federalism, unanimously adopted the “Resolution in Support of Agriculture and Energy Production” last week at the States & Nation Policy Summit in Washington. accepted. The resolution, introduced by Weld County Republican Commissioner Lori Saine, supports allowing community solar and agrivoltaic energy projects on farmland. The resolution will boost consumer choice and energy options that support family farms, while also increasing domestic energy production, such as community solar.
“American farmers and ranchers deserve to have choices about how they produce energy on their farmlands,” said Weld County Commissioner Lori Saine. “Small-scale solar and agrivoltaics can play an important role in our national energy future, providing opportunities for farmers and keeping agricultural land in production. We have seen firsthand in Colorado the positive impact these types of projects have on preserving our agricultural communities and I urge conservatives in other states across the country to embrace this.”
The resolution provides an actionable path forward for counties looking to adopt community solar and agrivoltaics. The resolution states that “solar installations on unproductive or unproductive agricultural land can provide farmers with passive income to cope with adverse events or uncertainty” and that “solar energy production and agrivoltaic energy can also help young farmers purchase land for agricultural production.”
“Conservative policymakers across the country are embracing community solar as an opportunity to prioritize economic development and expand consumer choice,” said Larry Ward, president and CEO of Conservatives for a Clean Energy Future ( CCEF). “We are hopeful that this ALEC resolution will encourage more conservative lawmakers to explore how community solar can promote energy freedom and prosperity in their counties.”
Currently, 19 states and the District of Columbia have implemented policies allowing third-party solar development by competing communities, while several states are advancing legislation to enable new programs, including Republican-sponsored bills in Wisconsin, Iowa, Ohio , Missouri and Georgia. and Pennsylvania. CEN research found that 60% of Republicans and 65% of Independents support community solar, highlighting growing support from conservative voters for more competition in the energy market and more freedom in energy choices.
News item from the Coalition for Community Solar Access
