Solar farms

Lurch. · Mar 27, 2018

Been farming for years rented it out last few years. Been
approached/identified as viable by solar company, promises triple the
current rent for 25 years. Whats the catch? been readin this forum since
the start. I know I can get some good experience/feedback from the
group.Thank-you wisdom soldiers. P.S. Essex Tri is my tractor of choice.

flying belgian · Mar 27, 2018

What you going to do if they go out of business next year? You are left with a farm you cannot rent out for crops unless you spend a million bucks taking it down.

DoubleO7 · Mar 27, 2018

who pays the property taxes?

buickanddeere · Mar 27, 2018

When the subsidies run out the solar company will walk away leaving you holding the bag.

504 · Mar 27, 2018

You have to have a bond for clean up the mess if they walkaway.

Lurch. · Mar 27, 2018

I have the contract they offered. I need a lawyer before acting. they say they pay difference in property tax and insure the entire facility.They claim they are also responsible for removal.

Ryan Renko · Mar 27, 2018

We also received a letter about a month ago here at our place. They stated that our farms level ground and close proximity to the local electric substation made our ground something they were interested in. Our little 80 acres is a hobby farm now and has been in the family for 100 years. I threw the letter in the trash. Ryan

Bruce from Can. · Mar 27, 2018

I would be worried about the claim to clean up part unless there is a bond posted. Hard to extract money from a company that has gone broke

Rob_Yesterday · Mar 27, 2018

I'm a corporate guy at one of the largest power companies in the US. If the solar company is willing to allow a wheel clause for any missed or reasonably delayed payments, you'll probably be ok. Make the clause forfeiture of assets and lease rights.

You could also structure the lease similar to a gas lease where if the facility isn't built in 3-4 years, the contract is void (freeing up your rights).

1948CaseVAI · Mar 27, 2018

(quoted from post at 20:52:36 03/27/18) I have the contract they offered. I need a lawyer before acting. they say they pay difference in property tax and insure the entire facility.They claim they are also responsible for removal.

None of that will help you if they are bankrupt. I suspect the gooberment subsidies will go away before too much longer and these companies will go out shortly after. they are not viable without gooberment tax money.

tomstractorsandtoys · Mar 27, 2018

Wouldn't all that solar equipment have value if the company pulls out? Lots of steel and other recyclables. They are in my area and after year 15 they have to provide a bond for the estimated cost of removal.They provide insurance and pay any increases in property tax. The project in my area is going to be over 2000 acres. Tom

paul · Mar 27, 2018

You don't really have farm land any more in 25 years, you have a lot of metal and concrete and mixed up soil from all the digging.

You have to worry about them walking away from the lease, sure it's binding and sure there is supposed to be a bond, but when things go south, a lot of those promises seem to be forgiven or shrugged off by officials and so sad too bad for you.

So many of these solar and wind outfits have been very fly by night, shoddy, under financed. Really have to be informed on what you are getting involved in.

Be careful the terms of the lease you sign up, and how long your property is encumbered. They might not build on your land, but own a cheap easement until they do and some of those leases were poorly worded, so as your land was not worth much for decades due to that easement.

Paul

DPittman · Mar 27, 2018

Thanks everyone, think I'll throw my letter in the circular file also.

RJKeith · Mar 28, 2018

Whoever financed the equipment may have first claim, then you are stuck with land you can not farm. Might want to require the company to post a bond from the start to cover returning the land to its original condition.

rustyfarmall · Mar 28, 2018

Why do they need to use up our farm land to install alternative energy gizmos? Why not just install the solar panels and wind turbines on top of the buildings in the city, where the electricity will be used?

But there I go again, trying to incorporate common sense into the equation.

1130Leo · Mar 28, 2018

The offers from these companies is very tempting, My biggest concern is stated here many times, why use good viable farm land. Seems like all of those contaminated super fund sites would be a great place for these, cover all that contaminated ground with solar panels, at least we are not taking prime farm land out of production. Most ordinances require bonding for them to be removed at end of life, however, we all know the quality of the ground below will never be the same.

buickanddeere · Mar 28, 2018

(quoted from post at 20:52:36 03/27/18) I have the contract they offered. I need a lawyer before acting. they say they pay difference in property tax and insure the entire facility.They claim they are also responsible for removal.

Best policy is to contact every neighbour for a couple of miles around , as they have had solar offers too. Obtain the services of a contract lawyer to act on the behalf of all.
Does wonders for the price paid for the use of your land and your security .

ptfarmer · Mar 28, 2018

Solar panels contain lead, chromium, and cadmium which you may have to dispose of. Here in San Antonio they recent put up a "solar farm" on 70 acres of land, has over 21,400 solar panels, and only generates enough power for a little more than 1,300 homes. Look at those "wind farms" when one of those wind turbines fail they are too expensive to fix so they just abandon them, and you are stuck with them if they are on your property. With wind farms is live close to one all you will hear is the noise they make.

buickanddeere · Mar 28, 2018

(quoted from post at 10:10:54 03/28/18) Solar panels contain lead, chromium, and cadmium which you may have to dispose of. Here in San Antonio they recent put up a "solar farm" on 70 acres of land, has over 21,400 solar panels, and only generates enough power for a little more than 1,300 homes. Look at those "wind farms" when one of those wind turbines fail they are too expensive to fix so they just abandon them, and you are stuck with them if they are on your property. With wind farms is live close to one all you will hear is the noise they make.

Without subsidies stuffing the pockets of green energy company owners . The only wind turbines and solar panels would exist where utility grid power is not available .

Solar farms

Lurch.

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flying belgian

Well-known Member

DoubleO7

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buickanddeere

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504

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Lurch.

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Ryan Renko

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Bruce from Can.

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Rob_Yesterday

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1948CaseVAI

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tomstractorsandtoys

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paul

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DPittman

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RJKeith

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rustyfarmall

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1130Leo

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buickanddeere

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ptfarmer

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buickanddeere

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