Strategic land use analysis for solar energy development in New York State

• Published in: Renewable energy 2021-08, Vol.173, p.861-875
• Main Authors: Katkar, Venktesh V., Sward, Jeffrey A., Worsley, Alex, Zhang, K. Max
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Farmland; GIS; Land-use; MCDA; New York; Site-suitability analysis; Solar
• ISSN: 0960-1481; 1879-0682
• DOI: 10.1016/j.renene.2021.03.128

This study investigates the spatial characteristics of existing utility-scale solar energy (USSE) development in New York State (NYS) and assesses the land-suitability for the future development of USSE needed to achieve the State’s renewable energy goals using GIS-MCDA techniques. Slope, proximity to electric substations, protected lands, and soil quality were used as criteria to develop land suitability scenarios. 40% of present USSE capacity has been developed on agricultural lands, and 84% of identified land suitable for future USSE development (∼140 GW potential) is agricultural. The USSE potential on non-agricultural land is 22.5 GW – just sufficient to accommodate the development of 21.6 GW, which is the estimated USSE capacity that will be required to achieve NYS’s 2030 goal of 70% renewable electricity. Thus, agricultural lands will be the prime target for future USSE development. Exploring the state-specific synergies for solar-agriculture colocation, preventing the spatially-concentrated development of USSE, and incentivizing the use of unproductive agricultural lands will help mitigate negative impacts of USSE development on agricultural lands. [Display omitted] •44% of existing utility-scale solar in New York is developed on agricultural lands.•84% of suitable land for future utility-scale solar in state is agricultural.•Solar growth should protect prime farmland and encourage agrivoltaics.•Spatial distribution and development on marginal lands should be incentivized.•Decision-making processes need to encourage proactive community involvement.