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Why California Farmers Don't Want to Lose Land to Solar Farms
IMPERIAL COUNTY, CALIFORNIA, JUL 16 – The Imperial Irrigation District opposes converting over 13,000 acres of fertile farmland into solar farms that mainly export electricity and provide minimal local benefits.
- Earlier this month, the Imperial Irrigation District board of directors approved a resolution opposing further solar development on agricultural land, drawing a figurative line in the sand.
- Amid a sharp debate within California’s $60 billion agricultural sector, over 13,000 acres of Imperial Valley farmland have been converted for solar energy development, reflecting ongoing land use conflicts.
- The legislature’s AB 1156 has broad support, backed by the solar power industry, environmentalists, labor unions, and many large farmers.
- The Imperial Irrigation District will urge agencies to prioritize agricultural preservation, remains supportive of renewable projects on non-agricultural land like desert areas, industrial zones, and fallow ground.
- Research shows agrivoltaics can shade crops, limit evaporation, and improve solar efficiency in sunny, dry areas like Imperial Valley, benefiting both agriculture and renewable energy.
17 Articles
17 Articles
Why the ag industry is at odds over converting land to solar farms
The Imperial Irrigation District, which provides water to farmers in the southeastern corner of California, drew a figurative line in the sand earlier this month, calling for a halt to the conversion of agricultural fields into solar panel farms. Noting that more than 13,000 acres of fertile land had already been converted, the water district asked the Imperial County Board of Supervisors to protect productive farmland. “Our identity and economy…
IID Pushes to Protect Farmland from Solar Projects
IMPERIAL COUNTY, Calif. (KYMA, KECY) - The Imperial Irrigation District has taken a stance on where solar energy projects should go. The board passed a resolution saying too much farmland in the Imperial Valley is being replaced with solar panels. Most of the power from these projects goes to big cities like San Diego, not the local community. IID officials say they support solar development, but not at the expense of agriculture. "One in every…
Why California farmers don't want to lose land to solar farms
A SunEdison solar facility in Valley Center. (File photo by Chris Jennewein/Times of San Diego) This column was originally published by CalMatters. Sign up for their newsletters. The Imperial Irrigation District, which provides water to farmers in the southeastern corner of California, drew a figurative line in the sand earlier this month, calling for a halt to the conversion of agricultural fields into solar panel farms. Noting that more than …
Hanford Sentinel
Why California’s agricultural industry is at odds over converting land to solar farms
Dan Walters Commentary: The solar farm displacement issue is only one of many factors that will determine the future of agriculture in California. The larger existential issue deserves more political attention than it’s getting.
Solar Power: California Farmers identify a hot new Cash Crop
By Jacob Stid, Michigan State University; Annick Anctil, Michigan State University, and Anthony Kendall, Michigan State University (The Conversation) – Imagine that you own a small, 20-acre farm in California’s Central Valley. You and your family have cultivated this land for decades, but drought, increasing costs and decreasing water availability are making each year more difficult. Now imagine that a solar-electricity developer approaches you …
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