For over 50 years, Scott Snyder's family has grazed cattle on a 600-acre parcel of leased land on Wright's Mesa, a plateau in southwestern Colorado's San Juan Mountains. This tranquil land, used by the Snyder family for cattle, is now the proposed site for a large solar farm, igniting opposition from Snyder and many in Norwood who value the undeveloped nature of the area. This opposition led San Miguel County to impose a moratorium on large solar developments—part of a growing trend of local bans across Colorado.
The rapid expansion of large-scale solar projects, spurred by federal investment, has seen several Colorado counties pass moratoriums in response to local opposition. Over the past two years, at least 10 counties, both in the mountains and on the Eastern Plains, have enacted temporary halts on new solar facilities.
More than 40% of Colorado's 4,112 megawatts of installed solar power capacity was built last year, primarily from utility-scale projects. Solar facilities now account for 9% of the state's electricity, enough to power over 838,000 homes, according to the Solar Energy Industries Association. However, to meet Gov. Jared Polis' goal of using 100% clean energy and reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 2040, solar power capacity needs to quintuple.
Large-scale solar facilities require vast, sunny, flat tracts of land near transmission lines, often found in rural Western Slope communities. However, opposition arises from concerns over losing agricultural land and preserving the undeveloped nature of these areas.
Snyder supports solar energy and has attempted to lease other parcels for solar projects, but he questions the placement of this particular project on land his family has grazed since he was in middle school.
Local opposition to solar projects is typically driven by local concerns rather than political or ideological differences, said Mike Kruger, CEO of the Colorado Solar and Storage Association. This sentiment, known as "not in my backyard" (NIMBY), reflects residents' preference for solar development to occur elsewhere.
The proposed solar project near Norwood involves building panels on approximately 600 acres of private and state land. OneEnergy, the solar company, is negotiating with Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association to sell the electricity generated. The project has faced strong resistance from Norwood residents, leading to San Miguel County's moratorium, which has delayed the project's timeline by at least two years.
As of November, 39 Colorado counties had adopted detailed solar land-use regulations, while others either had no regulations, non-specific rules, or were under moratoriums. This patchwork of regulations can complicate development efforts, said Kruger, but consistency and community engagement can mitigate these challenges.
Since 2018, community pushback has delayed or canceled at least 505 megawatts of potential large solar projects, according to a Denver Post analysis. Concerns include aesthetics, property values, loss of agricultural land, and the shift away from traditional rural culture. However, some projects have proceeded after addressing these concerns through community engagement and concessions, such as allowing sheep grazing under solar panels.
In other states, local opposition has led to regulatory changes. New York, Michigan, and Illinois have shifted permitting power for large-scale renewables from local governments to state agencies. In Colorado, a new law directs state resources to support local governments in renewable energy development, aiming to balance local authority with the need for clean energy expansion.
For solar companies, early community engagement and developing plans with local input are essential to gaining approval and avoiding delays. The "decide and defend" approach no longer works, Kruger said, as communities increasingly demand a voice in solar development projects.
As Colorado continues to navigate the complexities of expanding solar energy while addressing local concerns, the conversation around renewable energy siting is expected to intensify.
Surce: techxplore.com