Much of the concern about solar panels on agricultural land is related to soil disturbance and compaction. The impacts of a solar energy project on soil disturbance/compaction depends on the layout of the project and what is required by the local government in terms of stormwater and/or screening. Minimizing soil disturbance of the project will have the least impact, which means not requiring retention/detention basins or swales for stormwater, and not requiring berms as a means of screening.
Requiring maintenance of existing field tile, as is required by the Michigan Department of Agriculture & Rural Development (MDARD) for solar development on land enrolled in PA 116, is another way to avoid regrading of the soil. Planting a cover crop under and around the panels further helps to reduce loss of topsoil on agricultural land. Another way to protect agricultural soils is to minimize the size and number of access roads in the development, which in turn helps to minimize long-term compaction of soil.