‘Smart siting’ of green energy development is crucial

In an aerial view, a solar farm built by Amazon is seen on August 19, 2022 in Virginia.

Drew Angerer/Getty Images

The transition to clean energy is not as simple as flipping a switch from fossil fuels to renewables. Without proper planning, the rapid renewable energy buildout we urgently need could fall short for climate, biodiversity and communities.

As more solar and wind farms dot the Prairie State to meet the goal of sourcing 50% of our energy from renewables by 2040, it is important to carefully consider where sites are developed and how they are managed to maximize the benefits for people and nature. 

Smart siting — the selection of low-impact sites to minimize environmental disturbance — is the most effective way to reduce harmful impacts on nature.

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New guidance for Illinois created by The Nature Conservancy and Pollinator Partnership recommends avoiding new construction in natural habitat, or where there are potentially negative impacts to vulnerable or endangered species. Prioritizing development in areas including rooftops, parking lots, former mine lands or idle industrial areas can support a healthy ecosystem and repurpose land in a productive way. Developers can also take advantage of incentives such as Illinois’ Coal-to-Solar program or the new federal tax credit for developing renewables on brownfields or within regions dependent on the fossil fuel industry.

When solar sites are built with native prairie plantings, they also support pollinators like monarch butterflies, improve soil and water quality and increase carbon sequestration. Solar developers can even cut back on management costs over the long term, in part by reducing the need for frequent mowing. Recent state legislation on renewable energy siting enables counties to require solar developers to plant pollinator-friendly habitat.

If counties across the state take advantage of this opportunity, it will help to ensure that solar is paired with native plants that support pollinators, improve soil and water quality and help restore a portion of Illinois’ once vast prairie. The more solar built with nature in mind, the better the outcomes for biodiversity and people across the state. 

To avoid the worst impacts of climate change, especially in frontline communities, we must urgently act to cut carbon pollution with more renewable energy. Given the 20 to 30-year lifespan of new wind and solar farms, decisions made today on where we build and how new sites are stewarded will have lasting effects for future generations.

Michelle Carr, Illinois director, The Nature Conservancy

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