Across the U.S., the solar industry is booming. Solar project sites often occupy several acres of land and are projected to cover 2 million acres by 2030. To produce 1 megawatt of electricity (enough to power approximately 130 homes in
Nebraska), utility-scale solar plants may require five to 10 acres of land.
The first utility-scale solar project in Nebraska was deployed in 2016, providing 3.6 megawatts of power to the electric grid. By the end of 2020, Nebraska had 28 megawatts of utility-scale solar capacity installed. Combining solar projects with native perennial vegetation (including naturalized, non-invasive species) offers an opportunity for project developers to demonstrate their commitment to environmental stewardship.