Practitioner perceptions of biodiversity criteria for solar suitability analyses in the United States
A Delphi panel of biodiversity and renewable energy experts identified 16 essential and 13 peripheral biodiversity criteria for solar siting analyses. While most core criteria have publicly available data, many are missing from current tools. The study highlights the need for better biodiversity data and stronger agency coordination to guide low-conflict solar development.
Subject Tags
- Climate mitigation
- Renewable energy
- Biodiversity
Abstract
Acceleration of large-scale solar energy deployment can pose competition for land with biodiversity conservation areas. Solar suitability analyses (SSAs) help identify low-conflict zones for solar development, yet limited work defines which biodiversity-relevant criteria (BRCs) are essential for SSAs or whether supporting data are available. We convened a United States-based Delphi panel of practitioners with expertise in biodiversity and renewable energy to identify BRCs that are essential across SSAs (‘core’) and data- or scale-limited (‘peripheral’). Practitioners identified 16 core and 13 peripheral BRCs. Core criteria primarily aligned with regulatory frameworks, while peripheral BRCs reflected context-dependent ecological attributes lacking consistent and scalable data. Open-access data were available for 14 core criteria across 10 databases. Our assessment of US-based SSAs revealed that 10 included core BRCs. Our findings indicate a need for improved access to fine-scale biodiversity data and coordination with agencies to improve SSAs.
Citation
Condon, D., Levin, M. O., Smith, A. B., Morelli, T. L., Krasner, N. Z., Forester, E., ... & Hernandez, R. R. (2026). Practitioner perceptions of biodiversity criteria for solar suitability analyses in the United States. npj Biodiversity.
TNC Authors
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Elizabeth L. Kalies
Renewable Energy Scientist. North America Office
The Nature Conservancy
Email: elizabeth.kalies@tnc.org