Solar Energy Development and Regulation in Carver County

Abstract

This project was completed as part of a year-long partnership between Carver County and the University of Minnesota’s Resilient Communities Project (http://www.rcp.umn.edu). Increasingly, public and private agencies are proposing renewable energy projects in Carver County, most of the proposals being solar projects. The County had no regulatory guidelines for solar development projects and wanted guidance in establishing effective policies at both municipal and county levels. The goal of the project was to identify best practices and policy tools that can be used by Carver County and local government to accommodate and attract high-quality solar and other alternative energy projects while protecting community interests. In collaboration with project lead Brenda Lano at the Carver County CDA, a team of students in PA 5721: Energy and Environmental Policy, proposed policies to accommodate solar development that addressed community concerns and benefits, and created an educational video about solar development for both the public and decisions-makers. A final report, PowerPoint slides, and poster from the project are available.