Report: Solar development has minimal impact on ag land use

As renewable energy grows in rural areas, people have wondered whether solar projects will limit the available agricultural land.

A new report from the Center for Rural Affairs found their overall impact on agricultural land use is minimal. The DOE predicts that between 210 and 420 GWs of solar projects are needed in the Midwest by 2050 to meet federal decarbonization standards. According to the report, if all of the forecasted solar was built on the region’s prime farmland, it would occupy between 1.45% and 2.9%.

Read more from the Sandhills Express

One-third of Grinnell College power to come from solar energy with new solar array

Grinnell College has made a “decisive step” forward in the direction of operating without emissions with the completion of a 9,000-panel solar array.

One-third of Grinnell College’s campus is now running on renewable energy with the array, the largest private solar installation in the state, Grinnell College President Anne Harris said. As Grinnell College reaches this milestone in its goal of hitting net-zero emissions by 2040, a community-wide solar project could have more than half of the university’s power come from renewable sources.

Read more about the 4 megawatt array on the Iowa Capital Dispatch

Linn Co. to update regulations for wind energy projects

There are currently no big wind energy developments on the horizon in Linn County. It is because there are no projects in the works that county leaders say it’s a good time to update the ordinance. This was a lesson learned from when these same officials went through the process for solar.

The updated ordinance regulates how close wind turbines can be to other properties, how much noise they can make, wildlife and agricultural impact, even how their flickering shadows impact neighbors.

IEC submitted comments on these proposed changes to the Linn Co. Board of Supervisors. First consideration will be June 3. Read more from KCRG