How do Solar Farms impact nearby property values?
Recent studies of the effect solar farms have on property values show that there is no discernable impact on property values when solar farms are located near residential, agricultural, or industrial properties.
- Appearance: Large solar projects have similar characteristics to a greenhouse or single-story residence. Usually no taller than a single-story home, solar farms are often enclosed by fencing and/or landscaping to minimize visual impacts.
- Noise: Solar projects are effectively silent. Tracking motors and inverters may produce an ambient hum that is not typically audible from outside the enclosure.
- Odor: Solar projects do not produce any by-product or odor.
- Traffic: Solar projects do not attract high volumes of additional traffic as they do not require frequent maintenance after installation.
- Hazardous Material: PV modules are constructed with the solar cells laminated into polymers and the minute amounts of heavy metals used in some panels cannot mix with water or vaporize into the air. Even in the case of module breakage, there is little to no risk of chemicals releasing into the environment.
Moreover, studies have found that there are substantial benefits flowing to the communities where
solar farms locate. A report by the University of North Carolina examined the economic impact of more
than 100 solar projects in over 50 counties, finding that solar farms have increased the tax revenue from
agricultural property by between 1,000 and 10,000 percent.