A new AI-powered study mapped the true footprint of over 700 US solar farms. The verdict? It’s all about the land. (PV Mag)
The surprise: Dual-axis trackers were found to have lower land-use efficiency than standard fixed setups. Their need for wide spacing to avoid self-shading means they consume more real estate per watt of power generated.
The data showed that 38% of these sites were built on former cropland, highlighting a need to pivot toward “land sparing” strategies like agrivoltaics or brownfield development rather than paving over farms.