Land-Based Energy

New York State is committed to developing land-based energy sources in a responsible and equitable manner that considers and seeks to avoid and mitigate adverse impacts to wildlife and natural resources, agricultural and forested lands, rural communities, and other sensitive resources, and to better understanding opportunities for ecosystem enhancement within energy facility footprints. NYSERDA’s Environmental Research Program supports efforts to improve the scientific understanding of the effects and opportunities associated with land-based energy development and operation. This research focuses on identifying cost-effective strategies to minimize negative impacts from energy infrastructure as well as opportunities for facilities to provide ecosystem services, such as enhanced species biodiversity or soil carbon sequestration. Completed projects are documented in final project reports.

Stakeholder Collaboration

The program works collaboratively with stakeholders to identify policy-relevant research needs and opportunities, including scientists, farmers, other resource managers, solar energy developers, environmental organizations, local governments, and New York State and federal regulators. Recently solicited projects are focused on freshwater wetlands, soil health, grassland birds and raptors, soil benefits from grazing, and light availability for co-located forage and specialty crops.

• Avian Use of Photovoltaic Solar Energy Facilities [PDF]
• Regional Agronomic Impact from Solar Energy [PDF]
• Sheep Grazing as Vegetation Management for Solar Energy
• Measuring Soil Health and Carbon Storage on Solar Developments [PDF]
• Rethinking Agrivoltaic Incentive Programs

Related Resources

Sun and Soil Program: Support for New York farmers to generate solar energy, steady income, and lower energy bills while keeping productive farmland in active agricultural use, through agrivoltaics and on-farm solar and battery storage.