This summer CCE and CALS (Cornell College of Agriculture and Life Sciences) will be getting a little extra help from a new intern: Cornell Atmospheric Science undergrad, Nicole Collins. Nicole will be taking on the duties of interviewer as she meets with farmers and landowners to record their experiences with leasing land for solar development. These interviews will be used to create case studies that educate others about the process of leasing land.
New York State has seen an increase in farmer/landowners being approached to lease their land for solar development. CCE Schuyler made a proactive decision to document this experience and provide a better understanding of the process to the greater community. Nicole’s work will increase the educational resources available to farmers and landowners as they navigate the new world of land leasing for solar. This will give them another tool for determining if leasing is a good choice for their property.
If you are a farmer or landowner (or know a farmer or landowner) that is leasing their land for solar development and would like to share your story, please contact Nicole Collins (nec44@cornell.edu) or Todd Knobbe (tk656@cornell.edu).
You can follow Nicole’s journey this summer by visiting her blog: https://blogs.cornell.edu/nec44/blog/.
