Power to the future: Leasing land for Solar energy

You’ve probably never thought about producing solar energy on your land before. Not many people do. More often than not the case is that properties and free land is scouted by solar energy companies who then approach the owners about possibly leasing it. However, that doesn’t mean that you can’t make the first move. So, if you have a good amount of sun hours on your property, why not consider it?

Here are some of the benefits and things to keep in mind while you make your decision:

Easy money

Depending on the size of the land you want to lease and the amount of sun you get on a regular basis you can make a healthy, monthly sum from leasing out your land to solar energy companies. Prices can range anywhere between £100-£2000 per acre and you don’t have to pay a penny or do anything to get it. The chosen company will likely set up solar panels on your land, so as long as you approve of their aesthetic, it’s a great way to collect some extra income.

Improving the industry and providing environmentally friendly energy

It feels good to help the environment. The solar energy industry has already showed some massive growth in recent years and if this continues it might become our main source of energy, which is great news for environmentalists. By leasing your land to provide solar energy you would be helping the market grow and giving more people access to green energy. One of the main reasons people don’t switch to alternative sources of energy is because they don’t have easy access to it, but you could change that. However, you should know that having solar panels on your land isn’t like planting apple trees: you can’t just take it because it’s on your property. The money that you’ll be paid comes exclusively from leasing the land, so you have no cut of the profits made from producing and selling the energy.

You should shop around

Like everyone these days, solar energy companies are looking for the best deal when leasing their land. If a company approaches you with a price the first thing to do is find yourself a lawyer. Just like when you get a divorce you search for a family lawyer, when you look to lease your land for a solar farm you should look for a lawyer that has experience in that field. Similarly, if you’re the one looking for a company to lease your land to, you shouldn’t just dive into a deal with the first one you find. Get talking to a lawyer and talk to more than a few companies about possible prices.

Overall, leasing your land to solar energy companies is a great idea for any property owner with more land than you know what to do with. You can get regular income and help the environment simply by making use of empty space. If your land is sunny, dry and rock free then there’s no reason why you shouldn’t start looking into it right away.