Tracking the Growth of Wind and Solar in Rural America

RMI analysis indicates that wind and solar revenues in some US agricultural states are approaching the scale of major commodities, providing farmers with predictable income and counties with tax revenue for public services. While wind projects typically maintain agricultural land use, solar arrays have a larger footprint, leading to the exploration of agrivoltaics. In 2024, nine states generated over $1 billion each in wind and solar revenue, totaling $23 billion.

• Wind and solar energy revenues have reached a scale comparable to major agricultural commodities in certain US states. In 2024, nine states each generated more than $1 billion in wind and solar revenue, collectively accounting for $23 billion, which represents 63% of the national total.
• Energy infrastructure is predominantly located on rural lands, with 90% of projected solar infrastructure through 2050 expected to be sited there. Between 2012 and 2020, over 90% of wind projects and 70% of solar projects were installed on pasture or cropland.
• Wind and solar projects impact agricultural land use differently. A US Department of Agriculture study from 2012 to 2017 found that less than 1% of wind sites on cropland or pasture ceased agricultural use, whereas 15% of solar sites shifted away from agricultural use.
• Energy projects provide diversified, stable income for farmers through lease or royalty payments, which helps mitigate the volatility of commodity prices and production costs. Additionally, local governments benefit from tax payments; for example, three wind projects in Howard County, Iowa, contributed $2.7 million in taxes in 2024, representing 14.5% of the county's total tax revenue.

APA

RMI (2026). Tracking the Growth of Wind and Solar in Rural America. https://rmi.org/resources/tracking-the-growth-of-wind-and-solar-in-rural-america/

Chicago

RMI. Tracking the Growth of Wind and Solar in Rural America. 2026. https://rmi.org/resources/tracking-the-growth-of-wind-and-solar-in-rural-america/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=RMI |title=Tracking the Growth of Wind and Solar in Rural America |date=30 April 2026 |url=https://rmi.org/resources/tracking-the-growth-of-wind-and-solar-in-rural-america/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{rmi2026tracking, author = {{RMI}}, title = {{Tracking the Growth of Wind and Solar in Rural America}}, institution = {RMI}, year = {2026}, month = apr, url = {https://rmi.org/resources/tracking-the-growth-of-wind-and-solar-in-rural-america/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }