June 18, 2026
The Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) has released a new interactive map detailing the location of solar energy (or lack thereof) on major U.S. agricultural lands.
The new mapping program comes at a crucial time, as Farm Bill negotiations in the U.S. Congress have led to more research than ever on agricultural solar energy projects. According to SEIA, the map shows that solar energy takes up a “remarkably small” percentage of U.S. farmland, about 0.07% of the country’s farmland.
SEIA president and CEO Tim Pawlenty, who took over from interim president Darren Van’t Hof on June 15, says the new map will mainly provide context. While misinformation continues to swirl around the perceived dangers and risks of agrivoltaic energy, the map shows that agriculture and renewable energy plants can coexist, he says.
“America depends on our lands to grow our food, build our communities and power our lives,” he said. “Responsible land use means balancing all of these needs. This map helps provide important context by showing that solar energy and agriculture can thrive together. Solar energy development uses a very small amount of agricultural land compared to many other community land uses, while also providing affordable energy, local tax revenue, and reliable income for farmers and landowners.”
Mapping responsible land use
According to SEIA cardThere are currently zero states where solar occupies more than 0.05% of prime agricultural land. In terms of the total land area, the share of solar energy is even meager than when we look at agricultural land: in total it amounts to only 0.04%.
Moreover, almost every state in the Union has far more abandoned agricultural land than the prime agricultural land currently in use. Nationwide, there are 43 hectares of abandoned farmland for every hectare of land used, SEIA says.
Comparing the share of solar energy on prime U.S. farmland to other non-essential farmland further puts the small land risk of agrivoltaics into perspective. New suburban developments alone have used up roughly six times as much farmland nationwide since 2014 than solar projects. Golf courses in the US take up 2.6 times as much farmland as solar panels.
“Communities, landowners, farmers, local officials, and solar and storage developers all share an interest in responsible land use,” the trade association says. “SEIA has developed extensive land use resources, research and best practices to help communities make informed decisions about responsible solar and storage development.”
SEIA also notes that, unlike suburban development, golf courses and other permanent agricultural land uses, solar panels can be decommissioned and demolished at the end of their life. In turn, “thousands” of farmers and other private landowners have turned to dual-use solar as a second income stream, while also passively powering local communities.
Tags: agrivoltaic energy, agriculture, project, SEIA, sustainability
