With recent economic challenges in the US, farmers are looking to diversify their land use by inviting solar power companies. One farmer in Illinois stated that his less-than-desirable farmland generates a profit of $150-$200 an acre, while leasing it out instead for solar farms would generate a profit of $1000 an acre. While some states, like Illinois, are pushing for renewable energy, other states are taking a more cautious approach. For example, a county in Washington state banned the construction of new solar plants on farms, fearing that the agricultural compromise will come back to bite them in the future.
