978: Solar + Farming, Part 2: How Developers Earn Lasting Community Trust | Lauren Glickman

Getting a solar project approved is one thing. Building enough trust that the community welcomes the next project is another.

In this Part 2 of Nico Johnson’s conversation with Lauren Glickman, the focus shifts from what solar and agriculture can accomplish together to what developers must do to make those benefits credible and durable.

Lauren explores why agrivoltaics cannot be treated as a one-size-fits-all practice. Grazing, crops, pollinator habitat, and other agricultural uses have very different economics, which means the policies and incentives designed to encourage them may need to differ as well. She also explains why permitting certainty and agricultural tax treatment can sometimes matter more than another financial subsidy.

But the larger lesson is about trust.

Lauren shares what can happen when agricultural commitments disappear after a project changes ownership, why farmers should be compensated for the expertise they bring to project development, and why showing up only when you need a permit means starting the relationship at a disadvantage.

For developers, the responsibility extends beyond getting today’s project built. Every promise kept or broken influences how that community responds to the next solar project.

If you missed Part 1, we made the case for solar + farming; in this Part 2, we ask what it takes to make that partnership last.

Are there other technologies you’ve scouted on the frontlines of the Clean Energy Revolution that you think we should be covering here on SunCast?

Hit us up - team@suncast.me with your feedback & recommendations.

If you want to connect with today's guest, you’ll find links to their contact info in the show notes on the blog at https://suncast.media/episodes/.

Our Platinum Presenting Sponsor for SunCast is CPS America!

You can learn more about all the sponsors who help make this show free for you at www.suncast.media/sponsors.