On August 19, 2025, Secretary Rollins said “Our prime farmland should not be wasted and replaced with green new deal subsidized solar panels. It has been disheartening to see our beautiful farmland displaced by solar projects, especially in rural areas that have strong agricultural heritage. One of the largest barriers of entry for new and young farmers is access to land. Subsidized solar farms have made it more difficult for farmers to access farmland by making it more expensive and less available. We are no longer allowing businesses to use your taxpayer dollars to fund solar projects on prime American farmland, and we will no longer allow solar panels manufactured by foreign adversaries to be used in our USDA-funded projects.”
A new journal article from Bacon et al. (2025) recently looked at effects of large-scale solar installations on rangelands, arid landscapes critical for grazing, biodiversity, and carbon storage, disruption of ecosystem services with immediate and long-term consequences. Based on a global assessment of solar park impacts (Hernandez et al., 2019) and new, summarized data from Bacon et al. (2025), we continue to documented, research-based cascading effects on biodiversity, soil, water cycles, and climate regulation, exacerbated by construction, operation, repairs, and eventual panel degradation.
Biodiversity Loss
Solar park construction clears vegetation and compacts soil, fragmenting habitats and disrupting migration routes for species like desert tortoises and endemic pollinators (Hernandez et al., 2019). Shading from panels reduces photosynthetically active radiation, cutting floral and insect diversity by up to 50% in Oregon shrublands (Armstrong et al., 2016). Bird mortality from collisions or electrocution reaches 2.49–11.61 deaths per megawatt annually in Southwestern U.S. sites (Kagan et al., 2014). These impacts cascade, reducing herbivore and predator populations. Long-term, slow recolonization in arid ecosystems locks in species loss (Lovich & Ennen, 2011). Repairs involve vehicle traffic, further fragmenting habitats, while degrading panels leach lead and silicon, contaminating food chains (Mulvaney, 2014). Decommissioning leaves non-recyclable waste, perpetuating biodiversity loss.
Soil Degradation
Construction compacts rangeland soils, reducing fertility by 20–40% in Mediterranean drylands (Uldrijan et al., 2021). Panels increase soil temperatures by 5–10°F, suppressing microbial activity and nutrient cycling (Yue et al., 2021). Erosion increases sediment loads by 2–3x on sloped sites, degrading downstream habitats (Turney & Fthenakis, 2011). Reduced nitrogen and organic carbon (15–25% losses) limit vegetation growth, creating bare patches prone to dust storms and significant soil heating to exposed ground (Hernandez et al., 2019). Long-term, slow soil recovery (decades to millennia) entrenches degradation. Repairs deepen compaction, and degrading panels release chlorine and heavy metals, contaminating soils (Mulvaney, 2014).
Water Cycle Disruption
Panels alter rainfall distribution, reducing soil moisture by 10–20% and increasing runoff, which accelerates erosion (Hernandez et al., 2019). This reduces groundwater recharge by up to 15% in semi-arid basins, drying wetlands and seeps (Barron-Gafford et al., 2019). Cascading effects include vegetation loss and increased drought vulnerability. Long-term, these changes promote desertification, with 20–30% drops in water-use efficiency (Li et al., 2018). Panel cleaning consumes thousands of liters annually, straining aquifers, while degrading panels contaminate groundwater with toxics (Mulvaney, 2014). Decommissioning leaves erosion-prone scars, further disrupting hydrology.
Temperature Regulation Impacts
Panels raise local temperatures by 5-10°F and reduce albedo, creating heat islands (Barron-Gafford et al., 2016). Soil carbon stocks decline by 10–20% due to reduced vegetation, releasing stored CO₂ (Hernandez et al., 2019). Dust from bare soils contributes to regional warming. Long-term, carbon recovery in drylands is slow (0.1–0.5% annually), and degrading panels lose efficiency, requiring more land and increasing emissions (Fthenakis et al., 2011). Repairs generate dust, and panel disposal releases embodied carbon and pollutants, impairing carbon sinks (Mulvaney, 2014).
Conclusion: A Costly Misstep
Solar installations on rangelands trigger cascading ecosystem rangeland damage, hot and dry habitats, eroded soils, disrupted water cycles, and compromised climate regulation from loss of ground cover. Construction and operation sow immediate harm, while repairs and panel degradation deepen the disturbance, leaving a legacy of bare ground and compromised soil health. To conserve and optimize rangelands’ vital ecosystem services, solar development must pivot away from rangelands to rooftops or blacktop, sparing semi-arid ecosystems from an irreversible mistake.
For more info, check the study out here!
References
Armstrong, A., et al. (2016). Solar park microclimate and vegetation management effects on grassland biodiversity. Environmental Research Letters, 11(7), 074016.
Barron-Gafford, G. A., et al. (2016). The photovoltaic heat island effect: Larger solar power plants increase local temperatures. Scientific Reports, 6, 35070.
Barron-Gafford, G. A., et al. (2019). Agrivoltaics provide mutual benefits across the food–energy–water nexus. Nature Sustainability, 2(9), 848–855.
Fthenakis, V., et al. (2011). Life cycle greenhouse gas emissions of thin-film photovoltaic electricity generation. Journal of Industrial Ecology, 15(1), 110–130.
Hernandez, R. R., et al. (2019). Environmental impacts of utility-scale solar energy. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 97, 69–85.
Kagan, R. A., et al. (2014). Avian mortality at solar energy facilities in Southern California. Western Birds, 45(2), 158–166.
Li, Y., et al. (2018). Impacts of solar photovoltaic systems on regional hydrology. Journal of Hydrology, 566, 827–837.
Lovich, J. E., & Ennen, J. R. (2011). Wildlife conservation and solar energy development in the Desert Southwest, United States. BioScience, 61(12), 982–992.
Mulvaney, D. (2014). Solar energy isn’t always as green as you think. IEEE Spectrum, 51(11), 26–31.
Turney, D., & Fthenakis, V. (2011). Environmental impacts from the installation and operation of large-scale solar power plants. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 15(6), 3261–3270.
Uldrijan, D., et al. (2021). Soil impacts of solar photovoltaic installations in Mediterranean climates. Land Degradation & Development, 32(3), 1268–1280.
Yue, S., et al. (2021). Effects of photovoltaic panels on soil microbial communities in desert environments. Applied Soil Ecology, 167, 104094.