Installing Solar Panels On Land

Certain solar markets like florida have naturally level land which makes installs simpler but flat terrain isn t always an option.

Installing solar panels on land.

Ground mount solar arrays are typically installed in mostly flat open fields especially on utility scale projects. A solar panel installation is a relatively low value use for land. Solar can be installed with zero upfront capital cost through leasing. But when you place a solar array on the ground you have to build a sturdy roof like structure to hold the panels in place.

In addition solar can provide several benefits to agricultural land managers that may offset capital costs of installing solar. This process involves getting your soil surveyed to make sure it can hold the system firmly in place digging large holes and paying extra for parts to build a suitable foundation for the panels. Installing solar panels on agricultural lands maximizes their efficiency. A new study finds that if less than 1 of agricultural land was converted to solar panels it would be sufficient to.

In other terms we can say that for each 1 kw of solar panels you need 100 sqft of an area on average. To be cost effective a solar panel installation needs a large parcel of contiguous land according to the university of arizona. If you opt for a pole mount they will usually be installed more securely. Solar can be installed on marginal agriculture lands and provide a different source of revenue for the farm.

For example for a 1 mw solar power plant installation the solar farm land requirements would be around 4 acres when using a crystalline technology. When we use thin film technology a 1mw plant will require an average of 4 5 to 5 acres of land. Solar sites in the northeast mountain states or hilly regions can undergo civil engineering to make level ground for mounting.