There are many things landowners need to take into consideration when approached by an energy company interested in leasing land for renewable projects. It is highly recommended that any person considering leasing land to an energy company contact a lawyer to assist in protecting the landowner's interests.
2023 Workshop Overview:
Landowners learned about the potential benefits and pitfalls of leasing their land for solar installations at a Solar & Landowners Workshop held Monday, January 23, 2023 at 6 pm at Garrett College Room 111 in McHenry.
Many companies are viewing Garrett County as a prime location for community- and utility-sized solar installations, ranging from 10 to 1,000 acres. Landowners may not know the best way to negotiate their lease and work with the company to ensure they maintain their desired level of control over their land. The University of Maryland Extension and Garrett County Government hosted this free Solar & Landowners Workshop to help landowners navigate this new industry.
Representatives from the UME Ag Law Center, UME Energy Programs, and solar companies were on hand to discuss best practices in leasing, what to expect from a solar project, and how to ensure landowners retain the level of control they want.
Presentation Files:
- Document Solar in Garrett County - Some Context (334.58 KB) by Cheryl DeBerry, Broadband & Energy Manager, Garrett County Government Department of Technology & Communications
- Document Considering Solar Installation? Community and Utility-Scale (8.88 MB) by Drew Schiavone, Energy Conservation and Technology Specialist, University of Maryland Extension
- Document Solar Leasing & Solar Trends (updated) (2.78 MB)
- Document Agri-Volts and Other Options for Farm Profitability (890.99 KB) by Becky Rush, Project Manager, Smart Energy Investments
- Video Recording of the presentations as well as question and answer session
For a list of solar companies looking for land to lease or buy for solar projects, visit the Landowners and Renewables page.
