Resources > How Nevada can build large-scale solar that works for everyone

How Nevada can build large-scale solar that works for everyone

• Guide

January 22, 2026

With more than 300 days of sunshine per year, Nevada is a solar goldmine. As the state expands its renewable energy footprint, large-scale solar projects are becoming increasingly common across rural Nevada. This growth brings an essential conversation: where should these projects be built, and how can we ensure communities actually benefit? These utility-scale installations raise important questions about land use, environmental impact, and lasting local value.

When done thoughtfully, these projects can support rural economies, strengthen local services, and contribute to a more reliable energy future for all Nevadans. 

Large-scale solar projects: the good vs. the bad

The difference between a large-scale solar project that benefits a community and one that harms it comes down to planning and process. A well-planned project considers environmental protections, community priorities, and local land use planning. A poorly-planned project risks harming community trust, disrupting ecosystems, and can even leave a rural community worse off than when the project started.

The difference between harmful and responsible development lies in process, design, and accountability. When these projects are done well, they include legally binding contracts between developers and local communities. These are called Community Benefits Agreements, or CBAs for short. CBAs can be part of larger agreements with developers, or they can stand on their own. These agreements outline tangible, enforceable benefits shaped by local needs, such as:

• Direct payments or revenue sharing that help stabilize municipal budgets and reduce pressure on property taxes.
• Funding to ensure proper site restoration, known as ‘decommissioning bonds’.
• Investments in community infrastructure like broadband, roads, healthcare facilities, parks, or community centers.
• Scholarships for local students.
• Support for community centers, parks, or public services.
• Good-paying jobs, which can include stipulations for union labor or workforce development programs.
• Investments in local businesses and services.

Large-scale solar is typically connected to the local grid through a contract with a utility to buy the power. Because electricity flows where it’s most needed on the grid, the power generated doesn’t necessarily stay local, it goes wherever demand is highest. This makes CBAs especially important, because they ensure host communities receive direct value even when the electricity serves the broader region. Similar to how Nevada’s alfalfa, California’s strawberries, and Florida’s oranges are exported to other states, Nevada’s electricity can be exported too.

Beyond formal agreements like CBAs, Community Benefits Plans (CBPs) may also be used as non-binding roadmaps that outline how a developer intends to engage with the community and deliver benefits across all project stages. While CBPs do not have enforcement mechanisms, they can help pave the way for formal agreements. Projects may also generate revenue through federal regulations and state ‘Payments in Lieu of Taxes’ programs, providing additional financial support to host communities.

Environmental care and land stewardship

Thoughtfully designed solar installations can minimize environmental impact and contribute positively to the land. A majority of solar panel materials can be recycled, and projects can support pollinator habitats, grazing livestock, and wildlife when designed with care. Solar development can also improve soil health by reducing erosion and runoff from previously intensive agricultural use.

Solar United Neighbors encourages projects to prioritize disturbed or previously developed lands such as landfills, brownfields, parking lots, and large rooftops before considering undeveloped lands. When solar is located on farmland, agri-solar practices that support local farmers and preserve agricultural value should be incorporated wherever possible.

Battery storage: benefits and safety considerations

Battery energy storage systems (BESS) are becoming an essential complement to large-scale solar. These systems store excess energy generated during the day and release it during peak demand, which is typically in the evening when solar production drops but electricity use remains high. This capability helps prevent outages, reduces reliance on expensive and polluting gas and coal peaker plants, and makes renewable energy more reliable and cost-effective.

BESS facilities produce no air pollutants during operation, consume minimal water, and generate no operational traffic once constructed. As Nevada’s electricity demand continues to grow, pairing solar with battery storage is critical for maintaining grid stability while transitioning away from fossil fuels.

High-profile fire incidents, like the one at Moss Landing in California, have understandably raised questions about battery safety. While BESS fires are uncommon relative to the rapid growth of battery storage facilities nationwide, they do occur and can be serious when they happen. Most widely-reported BESS fires involved older technologies and safety standards that the industry has since surpassed through improved battery chemistry, enhanced fire suppression systems, and more rigorous safety protocols. BESS facilities should stay current with evolving safety standards and fire prevention methods. When battery storage is developed with strong safety standards, transparent community engagement, and proper oversight, it serves as a valuable tool for Nevada’s clean energy transition.

Real impact in Nevada

In Clark County, Boulder City provides an example of how community benefits can support local resilience. By leasing land for solar projects, the city has generated stable revenue that helped weather the financial strain of the COVID-19 shutdown. Project partners have contributed to local amenities such as a sound system for the senior center and a tortoise habitat for an elementary school, demonstrating how developers can engage as true community partners rather than temporary operators.

Our position at Solar United Neighbors

Solar United Neighbors supports thoughtfully designed large-scale solar projects that prioritize community well-being, environmental stewardship, and transparent public engagement. SUN is developer and project neutral, but encourages industry best practices with any proposed projects. 

SUN believes that large-scale solar should:

• Respect local input and landowner wishes.
• Include opportunities for meaningful public participation.
• Be discour­aged on pristine natural landscapes and incentivized on previously developed land.
• Prioritize sub-prime farmland and support pollinator-friendly and agri-solar practices when sited on agricultural land.
• Implement Community Benefits Agreements that equitably invest in and share revenue with the host community.
• Consult with federal and state wildlife agencies, Tribal agencies and impacted communities where projects are slated to be located. Developers should proceed with projects only after receiving all required or necessary permits.

Moving forward together

All energy production has impacts, but solar remains more affordable and has a lower environmental impact than any other energy source. As Nevada considers its energy future, thoughtful solar siting offers an opportunity to balance solar energy goals with community priorities and agricultural protection.

The most successful projects are those where everyone benefits. The developer builds solar energy capacity, the community gains meaningful and lasting resources, and the state moves closer to its renewable energy goals while respecting local voices.

Solar United Neighbors remains committed to providing factual information, facilitating community engagement, and supporting processes that center those most affected by these decisions. Through careful planning, transparent dialogue, and genuine partnership, large-scale solar in Nevada can reflect a model of energy development that is both responsible and community-driven.