Strategic Economic Research (SER) has released a new in-depth analysis exploring a key question for developers and communities alike: Is a solar farm a more economically valuable use of land than continued agricultural production?
Join this free, live webinar with Bryan Loomis and Sawyer Keithley as they present the study’s findings and discuss how this data can help developers navigate permitting processes in regions where solar and agricultural interests often clash.
The presentation will cover profit comparisons between farming and solar leases, including simulations and economic models to determine how crop prices or yields would need to increase to match solar lease revenue. It will also explore net economic impacts, comparing solar development to continued agricultural use. The webinar will dive into projections showing how technological improvements in agriculture can offset reductions in farmland, often restoring output levels within zero to three years. Additional insights include an analysis of soil types and the share of land considered “prime farmland,” a review of the site’s suitability for solar—such as grid access and solar irradiance—and a look at the likely end uses of common crops, including the growing role of biofuels.
This session is perfect for solar developers, land use planners, policymakers, and others interested in how renewable energy and agriculture can coexist.
REGISTER HERE
About the Speakers:
Sawyer Keithley, MS
Economic Impact & Property Tax Analyst, Front Matter Team Lead
Strategic Economic Research
Sawyer Keithley has a Master of Science degree in Applied Economics with a Sequence in Electricity, Natural Gas, and Telecommunications. Sawyer leads the team responsible for collecting, analyzing, and visualizing state- and county-level information to provide background for SER’s economic impact reports and land use analysis. Additionally, they perform economic and property tax analyses.
Bryan Loomis, MBA
Vice President
Strategic Economic Research
Since 2019, Bryan has performed or overseen over 200 wind and solar analyses at Strategic Economic Research, and has also provided expert testimony for permitting hearings and open houses in many states, including Colorado, Kansas, Indiana, Illinois, and Iowa. Bryan's analysis expertise includes renewable energy property taxes, economic impacts, and land use. Bryan has done direct research for the tax codes of over twenty states, establishing procedures for the property tax team to conduct analyses in those states. Before working with SER, Bryan ran a consulting agency, working with over thirty businesses on growth and marketing. Bryan received his MBA from Belmont University in 2016.
