Montana is still feeling the effects of energy deregulation — the “worst policy decision in the history of the state” — and it’s at risk of falling behind regional planning efforts when it comes to power.
Supervisors in Tama County this week are considering an ordinance to limit the size of solar installations on farmland, to generate no more than 25 megawatts of electricity. Most utilities estimate it takes five to six acres of land to yield one megawatt. It is the latest step in the ongoing push-and-pull between farmers and alternative energy advocates. .
While distributed solar can’t solve the region’s transmission woes alone, Idaho and Washington would be smart to follow Oregon’s lead in boosting it for a cleaner future.