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Farmer urges county to limit large commercial solar arrays, suggests 40-acre cap
Summary
At the Houston County meeting a local farmer urged commissioners to restrict commercial solar projects to small footprints (suggested 40 acres) so arrays could be sited on substations and keep power local; he expressed concern about large agricultural land conversions, backup diesel generators and renewable mandates.
Don Peterson of Brownsville Township addressed Houston County commissioners during public comment, urging limits on large commercial solar arrays and advocating for smaller, substation-adjacent installations to keep benefits local.
Peterson identified himself as a local farmer and co-op board member and said commercial-scale solar developers are proposing arrays that convert large tracts of prime farmland. He cited examples from elsewhere in Minnesota where developers sought to place solar projects on hundreds or thousands of acres and said backup diesel generators proposed with some projects were inconsistent with the goal of reducing emissions.
Peterson argued that a 40-acre cap would keep commercial arrays smaller and allow them to be sited at substations where the generated power could remain on local lines. He suggested small arrays could be fenced and dual-used for sheep or pollinator habitat, and he said his cooperative commissioned a MISO feasibility study (which the cooperative paid about $60,000 for) as part of evaluating local projects.
The comments were made during the public comment period; no formal board action was taken on the topic at the meeting. Commissioners did not vote or direct staff on solar policy during the session.
Peterson also referenced renewable mandates and said the cooperative is planning for higher renewable penetration in coming years; the transcript did not specify the exact statutory or regulatory deadline for any mandate discussed, so the timing was not stated in the public comment.
