Renewable Energy Only Requires a Small Amount of Farmable Land

There is a common misconception that renewable energy, particularly solar and wind farms, uses excessive amounts of farmland, impacting agriculture and food production. In reality, the land footprint of renewable energy installations is relatively minimal compared to traditional energy infrastructure and even agricultural uses. solar and wind farms occupy only a minimal portion of U.S. agricultural land. In fact, the USDA reported that in 2020, solar and wind developments used about 424,000 acres—only 0.05% of the 870 million acres of farmland available nationwide.

Solar farms, for example, are often strategically placed on lower-quality or degraded lands, minimizing competition with productive farmland. Additionally, these installations are often designed with flexibility in mind; some solar arrays are elevated to allow crops or grass for grazing animals like sheep to grow beneath them, a practice known as “agrivoltaics.” This way, solar energy can coexist with agriculture, creating a mutually beneficial relationship that benefits both energy production and food security.

The land-use efficiency of renewables is also improving as technology advances. For example, modern wind turbines are built taller with longer blades, meaning fewer turbines are needed to produce the same amount of electricity as older, shorter turbines. Unlike other energy sources like fossil fuels, wind turbines also only use a small portion of the land on which they stand, allowing crops and livestock to continue flourishing around them.

Sources: Successful Farming, USDA