By Julie Tomascik
Editor
Thousands of acres in Texas will harness the sun’s rays, but not for livestock or crop production. Solar energy development companies are moving into rural communities, and it’s dividing those who live there.
Some landowners have agreed to long-term leases with the solar companies, while neighbors and other communities across the state oppose the industrial facilities and are attempting to stop them.
Robert Fleming, who farms and ranches in Central Texas, helped organize and lead a grassroots effort to temporarily block the projects from taking area land out of agricultural production.
“I’m not against solar, but when it comes to taking prime farmland and ranchland out of production, that’s where I get concerned,” he said. “These companies are very organized. They’re very professional, and they’ve done this across the United States. They’re very sneaky. They come into our communities, and they separate family. They separate friends. They separate neighbors with a dollar bill, and that’s what really bothers me the most. They know that no one can compete with that kind of money, because we’re in a depressed agricultural economy.”
The solar company’s project decision came down to Troy ISD and whether the school district would approve a tax abatement under Chapter 313, which is an economic development program within the state’s tax code allowing taxable property value to be traded for promised job creation. It’s a tool long-used by school districts.
Fleming, several landowners and concerned citizens spoke out against the abatement and met with State Rep. Hugh Shine, Troy ISD school board officials, county commissioners and community leaders.
“We gave them packets of stuff, and we tried to inform them the best we could through the packets and also through emails and telephone calls,” Fleming said. “We stayed vigilant. The closer the vote came, the more aggressive we got—but in a professional way.”
Their efforts proved successful. Troy ISD voted down the solar project abatement proposal by a 6-1 vote.
The solar company issued a statement to a media outlet saying, “This decision by Troy ISD could eliminate opportunities for local private landowners and that county at-large, including over $36 million in tax payments to Bell County and Troy ISD.”
A bill that would extend the Chapter 313 tax abatement program failed in the Texas Legislature earlier this year. Fleming believes the reason many solar companies are trying to push projects through right now is because the tax abatement program expires Dec. 31, 2022.
Texas Farm Bureau’s current policy is supportive of legislation and incentives to develop farm-based renewable energy such as solar, wind and biogas projects. However, members recognize a need to study the cumulative impacts to agricultural land values and electrical markets that result from incentive programs such as local tax abatements.
The position reflects division and concern among some members.
Other property owners, however, welcome the solar projects. Solar companies are offering lucrative leases, around $450 to $1,200 per acre per year with incremental increases. The leases range from 20-40 years, with the option for additional long-term renewals.
The steady income can help smooth out the financial roller coaster of growing crops and raising livestock, and there’s no cost to the landowner for “raising” solar panels.
“Money’s intoxicating,” Fleming said.
Acres of Texas farmland are shifting from traditional crops to solar farming. One of the limits, though, is distance to the electrical grid. It’s costly to build a connection to transmission lines.
But the solar industry continues to grow across the country as technology and materials get cheaper, and federal tax credits further cut the cost of developing solar projects.
When thousands of acres are taken out of production, however, critics say it will affect area businesses and the Lone Star State’s total agricultural production.
“How many people are tied to agriculture, to that land, and depend on it? It’s not just the producer. It’s the fertilizer company, chemical salesmen, feed companies, insurance company, tractor implement companies, trucking, on and on and on. There’s a lot of people tied to that land,” Fleming said.
The change in landscape can also alter rural communities.
Critics say development of these projects stresses rural infrastructure. Farm-to-market and county roads built for occasional heavy loads are subjected to an onslaught of heavy machines and loaded gravel trucks. Crop fields and pastures once lush with livestock and new growth are covered with rock and guarded by chain-link fences topped with razor wire.
It’s an unusual look after decades of agricultural production.
But scenarios like the one in Troy are playing out across the state as solar is the fastest-growing source of electricity in Texas.
Clean energy advocates and regulators, along with landowners, support the renewable energy source, but many farmers and ranchers are wary of the massive new installations moving into their communities.
“We’re getting eaten up every day by urbanization. Now, we have to deal with solar leases,” Fleming said.
What does the future hold for Fleming and his family?
He’ll continue to grow crops and raise cattle alongside his wife, son, daughter and son-in-law as long as he can, fighting to save a way of life.
And it remains to be seen how many solar panels will sprout across the state, creaking occasionally as they pivot to follow the sun across the sky.
The State of Texas needs to stop fighting Solar Energy. We need every home equipped with solar panels producing energy for that home, farm, ranch, and business. We don’t need huge industrial solar projects owned by private companies and all the transmission lines needed to transport that electricity across the rural areas that use eminent domain, carrying the electricity from rural areas to the big cities. If for profit companies must build those, build them right by the city that needs them. Texas is already allowing for profit oil, gas, and exporting pipeline companies to damage thousands of acres of Ag land all across The state. We don’t need more property rights stolen using eminent domain for more electric transmission lines.
I appreciate Robert Flemming’s concerns, but there’s also a lot of pushback from the fossil fuel industry, and Austin listens to petro dollars. The GOP is also known as the Gas and Oil Party. I don’t envision thousands of acres of farmland being turned into solar farms and other growers having to
raise mushrooms in the dark to survive. I welcome solar and wind and geothermal technologies to provide clean, renewable energy to our curiously inefficient electric power grid, that is allergic to cold as well as to intense heat. But that’s another story.
Texas raises corn, milo, wheat & vegetables on its choice and prime farmlands. Every home must have
Food & Fiber. Every home needs Electricity. Population growth increases demand for both.
Its evil for thousands & thousands of private landowner acres to be taken out of Ag production.
Presently, more farmland is needed to supply Ag products for a hungry world. Its not a smart move to “take acres for food “ for “acres of solar panels”.
Texas raises livestock for food & fiber on range & improved pasture lands. There are about 98 million head of cattle inventories in US herds. In excess of 25% are in Texas. Reducing inventory for solar will wreak one huge segment of the Texas economy.
The drive is on by clean energy & regulators.
Let these opportunities be secured by other means such as a couple of Nuclear facilities.
Texas school districts have become an allie to this land grab by wind and solar companies. The lure of the almighty dollar works just like bribery! The Texas law that allows these abatements needs to be repealed !
Texas has 1000’s of acres of vacant land that is worthless for Ag farming, yet close to the major Power Grids. I see no reason why we should allow non-Ag land to sit vacant, let’s develop a solar field, wind farm or battery energy storage system….or don’t complain during and after a major power-outage in the mid of a long cold winter or hot summer.
If you’re leasing land for solar panels or windmills, make sure you are protected. There is not a good way to recycle windmill blades or solar panels; if the site is abandoned it will be costly to clean up and reclaim the land. Before you sign agreements/contracts contact a lawyer for your protection.
Invest in putting solar on your home or land and be taxed out of what little profit one might get from city and county taxes when your property value goes up..
Well, while I see both sides…I really cannot get past the idea that this is Texas and a man owns his land and ought get to farm it, drill it, or solar it as he sees fit?
We ought let the market decide the best use of land.
This is not a free market option since renewables are so heavily subsidized or I would say yes to that. One cannot compete with the other. If renewables had to stand on their own – there wouldn’t be any. They have been subsidized since 1974. I am with you on land ownership. It’s your right to lease – its the companies right to do business. What is need is regulation at a local level to protect the neighboring landowners and counties from any harms. Regulation where we have answers and can hold accountable the companies more than “we have no authority” from our alphabet agencies we have now!
Residents and Landowners beware! They are now offering leases in Coryell County Texas!
Right now my panels are feeding excess electricty back into the grid. The State should offer incentives to ranchers to put solar on their ranch houses on “the thirds”. The State could supplement a 1/3rd overage on panel instillations, and store the excess power generated in order to supplement our grid infastructure in times of need. Instead of big solar fields taking up vast tracts of land we could simply fill the bushel one apple at a time so to speak! The rancher benefits from free, or greatly reduced, electricity and the State benefits from the added power to the grid.
this needn’t be an either/or situation. AgriPhotoVolaic projects demonstrate that attaching solar panels to elevated structures a dozen+ feet ABOVE crops or, even livestock, with gaps to let adequate sunlight reach the crops/grass reduces water requirements while often boosting yield. the elevated panels allow livestock & farm workers with their equipment to pass beneath. it also provides landowners with cash payments for the power generated. [suspending panels above crops also cools the panels, boosting power production]
As a land owner setting aside part of my ranch for a solar farm will help tremendously in raising cattle on the rest of our place. With the added income I will be able to hire more help, improve the ranch pastures, and many of other things I could never dreamed of doing. The company I am talking with said I will still be able to run cattle with the solar panels after the construction is done. The panels will be a minimum of 7 foot from the ground and turn as the sun moves across the sky. To me this is better than oil and gas wells because we don’t have to share with other mineral owners. I also have in my contract that after the life of the farm they will clean up everything that’s was installed.
What happens if the company goes bankrupt? Cattle can destroy these systems very easily, seen the evidence. Have you asked them about the negative effects of EMF on your cattle? I get what you are saying about increase the $$ to keep ranching, hiring, and about mineral rights, but at what cost is it really coming to you. The literature I have read, people I have talked with, and research on deconstruction of facilities does not favor us as consumers. Even at that the energy doesn’t stay here in the state, its sold to out of state entities.
Our world has evolved and different technologies have been introduced, but we also need to take a look at the future and the consequences that could come later in life. No matter your viewpoint, you cannot deny that all we want is a safe, comfortable place for our sons and daughters, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. Instead of looking at what’s best for you, look at what’s best for future generations. With solar panels, will our world slowly go back in time, or will it continue to advance? Without panels, will our world go down in the darkness, will we use past ideas to advance in new ways, or will our world advance and think of better ideas without solar panels? What we decide now will have an effect on the rest of Earth’s life.