Is My Land Right for Utility or Renewable Projects? 5 Key Factors to Know

Is My Land Right for Utility or Renewable Projects? 5 Key Things to Know

Have you ever asked yourself, “Can I lease my land for solar or power projects?” You're not the only one. Today, more and more landowners are turning their land into income by leasing it for solar panels, wind turbines, batteries, or power lines. But not every piece of land will work. So how do you know if yours is a good fit?

Let’s look at 5 easy things to check.

1. Is Your Land Flat and Open?
   Utility companies and solar builders like flat, open land with lots of sunshine. If you have fields, pastures, or wide-open spaces, that’s great. Too many trees? No problem, some can be cleared.
   Example: A landowner in Texas had an empty cow pasture. Now it’s a solar farm earning steady income.
   Out of all the properties I have worked on, flat land with the right topography works best for most projects. Wind projects have their own issues. For wind, a wind study is needed, and a met tower must be installed, but that’s getting into a more detailed conversation. You can negotiate a long-term lease for wind.
   I’ve noticed that battery projects and data centers, like crypto and AI data centers, want to be as close as they can to substations. But it’s not the end of the world if you’re not.
   Your land could run into issues if there are wetlands, endangered species, or other surprises. That’s something they find during surveys after an agreement is signed. That’s why most companies do options, not just for interconnection studies, but to make sure there’s nothing on the land that would stop the project.

2. Is Your Land Near Power Lines or a Substation?
   Every project needs to plug into the power grid. If your land is near big power poles or a substation, that saves time and money.
   You can’t always see them, but I can help you check a map and find out fast.
   It’s great if your land is next to transmission lines. In some cases, like crypto data centers, they may need to be near distribution lines. Most land projects also need access to water.
   If your land is near a substation, that’s great for interconnection.
   Is it the end of the world if your land isn’t next to a transmission line or substation? No. But being close helps you with negotiations because the value is higher. If they have to build a Gen-Tie a private transmission line, their costs go up. That usually means they try to lower what they pay you. If they have to build a mini substation on your land, the cost goes up even more.

3. Is There a Road or Driveway?
   Projects need access, meaning trucks, workers, and equipment must be able to get there easily.
   If your land has a gravel road, paved road, or farm entrance, that’s great.
   Having access is important. You can’t have landlocked property. If your land looks landlocked but you already have access through another property and just haven’t recorded it, I suggest you record that agreement. Make sure you have a memorandum or easement recorded.
   Most companies will avoid land without legal access, or they’ll reduce the price because they’ll have to fight for access, and that can cost them a lot of money.

4. Do You Have Enough Acres?
   The more land you have, the more options you’ll get.
   Here’s a rough idea:
   Small battery site: 5–10 acres
   Community solar: 10–30 acres
   Utility-scale solar: 50–100+ acres
   Wind turbines: large spaces, spread out

And yes, odd-shaped land can still work.
I get this question a lot — “Do I have enough acres?”
You need to know that there’s the total acreage, and then there’s usable acreage. You might have 50 acres, but 10 could be wetlands and another 10 could be sloped or rocky.
That’s important to understand, so you don’t get too excited thinking you’ll be paid for all 50.
Most renewable developers pay for usable acres , that’s what they’re building on.
I’ve negotiated full-acreage payments before, so it’s possible, but not guaranteed.

5. Do You Fully Own the Land and Know the Boundaries?
Companies need to work with the legal landowner, someone who has the deed or paperwork showing they own the land.
If your land is in a family trust, part of an estate, or shared with co-owners, that’s okay , we just need to know who can sign.
This can be tough. Sometimes there are family issues or small ownership shares that cause problems.
If you want your property leased or sold, make sure your title is clean.
If the land is in a trust, have your trust certificate ready.
If it’s owned by a business, have documents ready to prove who can make decisions.
I’ve come across land with over 100 owners. It’s almost impossible to work with land like that.

Let’s Talk

If you want honest help, or just want to learn more, reach out. I’ll explain the process, your options, and help you avoid common mistakes.

Jesus Quiroz, RWA
Right-of-Way & Land Expert (505)-417-9680
Power | Fiber | Solar | Battery | Data Centers

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