Roadmap Shows How Expanding New York's Solar Energy Will Help Meet Green Goals To meet New York's green energy targets, solar developers can look at using lower-quality agricultural land for solar energy, encourage dual-use (combined agriculture and solar) alternatives, discourage concentrated solar production, and involve communities early, according to a new Cornell University study.
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ITHACA, N.Y. - Solar-power developers need to explore using lower-quality agricultural land for solar energy, incentivize dual-use (combined agriculture and solar) options, avoid concentrated solar development and engage communities early to achieve New York s green energy goals, according to forthcoming Cornell University research. As farmland is generally flat and cleared, agricultural land will be the prime target for future solar energy development, said Max Zhang, professor in the Sibley School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering. Good farmland, however, is not ideal.
Zhang is senior author of Strategic Land Use Analysis for Solar Energy Development in New York State, which will publish in August 2021 in
Tending to sheep on a solar farm is a good dual-use land option for creating green energy. Engage public, explore methods to secure NYS green energy
May 4, 2021
Solar-power developers need to explore using lower-quality agricultural land for solar energy, boost incentives for dual-use (combined agriculture and solar) options, avoid concentrated solar development and engage communities early to achieve New York’s green energy goals, according to forthcoming Cornell research.
“As farmland is generally flat and cleared, agricultural land will be the prime target for future solar energy development,” said Max Zhang, professor in the Sibley School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, in the College of Engineering, and senior author of “Strategic Land Use Analysis for Solar Energy Development in New York State,” which will publish in August 2021 in Renewable Energy. “Good farmland, however, is not ideal.”