Renewable Energy Projects

Unlike fossil fuels that experts believe took millions of years to form, renewable energy comes from naturally replenishable sources, such as wind, sunlight, water, or other means. The U.S. Energy Information Administration reported that renewables accounted for approximately 21% of electricity generation in the United States in 2023.

Increased demand for solar, wind, and other renewable forms of energy has led to an uptick in renewable energy projects in the United States. Successfully completing a renewable project typically involves a variety of stakeholders, considerable planning and land, and supporting infrastructure.

Common Types of Renewable Energy Projects in the U.S.

The term “renewable” can have different meanings depending on the audience. Although geothermal, biomass, and even certain hydrogen programs could be considered renewable, at New Era Land Services we see the most activity for the following types of projects:

Solar: Photovoltaic solar panels are designed to capture energy from the sun’s rays and convert it into usable electricity. Many solar energy projects require large amounts of land (commonly referred to as “solar parks” or “solar farms”), although it’s increasingly common to see private solar installations on homes and businesses.

Wind: According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, wind accounts for the largest share of kilowatt hours from renewables—10.2% of the United States’ utility-scale electricity generation in 2023. Turbines catch the wind and turn a generator, which creates electricity that is put onto the grid.

Battery Storage: Some may quibble as to whether battery storage projects are actually “renewable.” That said, battery storage projects can play an important role in the success of other renewable programs. For example, a wind farm generates electricity whenever the wind blows—even during periods of low demand. Battery storage sites store the excess wind energy onto lithium ion batteries until demand increases, thereby making wind energy more viable for a community.

Stakeholders in a Renewable Energy Project

Multiple stakeholders may be involved with bringing a renewable energy project to fruition:

●     Project developers are responsible for the overall project’s success and ultimately aim to generate income through power purchase agreements.

●     Public utilities may contract with renewable energy project developers through power purchase agreements.

●     ISOs and RTOs oversee renewable energy projects in the queue.

●     Private entities, such as tech companies, may seek direct power generation opportunities to support environmental initiatives and/or enable tax credit opportunities.

●     Landowners may be asked to lease their land in exchange for recurring payments.

●     Land companies, such as our team at New Era Land Services, handle the “on the ground” aspects of renewable projects—meeting with landowners, obtaining lease agreements, and providing project management services.

Support for Renewable Energy Projects

Contact New Era Land Services for support on your next renewable energy project. Landowners may contact us through our landowner form.