Client: Clean Wisconsin
Team: David Heinritz, Emily Maher, Dahlia Saba, Faustina Sekyere
Mentor: Sheldon Du
As more large-scale solar energy projects in Wisconsin are being proposed on agricultural land, Clean Wisconsin asked EAP students David Heinritz, Emily Maher, Dahlia Saba, and Faustina Sekyere to conduct a cost-benefit analysis comparing monoculture corn farming with two solar energy alternatives: conventional utility-scale solar and agrivoltaics (combined solar and agriculture, in this case sheep grazing). Focusing on a one-acre model, the team evaluated economic, environmental, and social impacts from both individual landowner and community perspectives. Their findings show that both solar scenarios offer significantly higher local net benefits than corn farming, with agrivoltaics providing the greatest overall community value. Key benefits include improved water quality, reduced soil erosion, and new income streams for landowners and graziers. The report also offers policy recommendations for optimizing solar siting and community engagement to maximize benefits and presents a framework for sustainable land use decisions across Wisconsin.