New Year, New Issues
Printed From: Unofficial Allis
Category: Other Topics
Forum Name: Shops, Barns, Varmints, and Trucks
Forum Description: anything you want to talk about except politics
URL: https://www.allischalmers.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=209563
Printed Date: 01 Apr 2026 at 12:17pm
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 11.10 - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: New Year, New Issues
Posted By: Rusty Allis
Subject: New Year, New Issues
Date Posted: 01 Jan 2026 at 4:03pm
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Hey gang! Hope everyone is doing well and had a great Christmas. I'm posting because we have been approached by an "alternative energy" company who is proposing a 20 year lease on about 25 acres or so of property. Personally, I think the whole solar thing is pretty scummy myself but was wondering if anyone here had any real experience with this, or knew anyone who does. What pitfalls have been discovered after signing up etc? Obviously, if things move forward, we will need a good land/contract attorney but I wanted to hear any good/bad/ugly on this stuff. I have quite a few concerns, especially when it's over will they remove it, environmental issues etc. And what would happen should they go bankrupt etc. You know the deal, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is...
Thanks for your reply! |
Replies:
Posted By: Lars(wi)
Date Posted: 01 Jan 2026 at 4:48pm
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With the current political climate blowing, I would not touch a windmill(or a solar field) for the tea in China. The only somewhat ‘real world experience’ I have was hauling diesel fuel to a contractor south of McCamey Texas that was removing a ‘wind farm’ that was less than 20yr old. At the first renewal of the lease, the parties could not agree, so out they went, per the contract. ------------- I tried to follow the science, but it was not there. I then followed the money, and that’s where I found the science. |
Posted By: jaybmiller
Date Posted: 01 Jan 2026 at 5:35pm
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some things I've thought of... 1) get contract to say what use of your land you'll have 2) get contract to say what access THEY will have to your land 3) get contract to setup an 'escrow(?) account to cover ALL costs for removal of their equipment at end of 20 year lease 4) be SURE contract does NOT 'auto renew' ! 5)) be sure contract says THEY are responsible for 'any and all damages arising from any and all equipment' that affect any and all ' of your land 5) be sure contract says THEY are responsible for any and all damages to land and loss of wildlife and NOT you, the land owner ! 6) contract is for xxx amount of surface land area and NOT MINERAL or underground rights ------------- 3 D-14s,A-C forklift, B-112 Kubota BX23S lil' TOOT( The Other Orange Tractor) Never burn your bridges, unless you can walk on water |
Posted By: Wispitfiremike
Date Posted: 01 Jan 2026 at 8:14pm
| Terms should also have an escalator clause every whatever period you chose. We have a cell tower on our property that increases every 5 years. |
Posted By: steve(ill)
Date Posted: 01 Jan 2026 at 10:25pm
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assume they will go bankrupt in 10 years and not there to finish or cleanup... GET your MONEY up front ! ------------- Like them all, but love the "B"s. |
Posted By: Dirt Farmer
Date Posted: 02 Jan 2026 at 1:12am
| Sent you a pm |
Posted By: DiyDave
Date Posted: 02 Jan 2026 at 4:14am
When they figger out you ain't stupid, they will move on to greener pastures... ------------- Source: Babylon Bee. Sponsored by BRAWNDO, its got what you need! |
Posted By: Rusty Allis
Date Posted: 02 Jan 2026 at 10:12am
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Wow, thanks! Lots of good points brought up and I really appreciate it. Not sure which way we'll go but I do thank everyone for the input/ideas. My gut says "no thanks" because when you add up the taxes (income/state) plus all the people involved, it just seems like 20 years of torture.
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Posted By: iowallis
Date Posted: 02 Jan 2026 at 1:00pm
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Your can never ask too many questions. Like-- who is responsible for removal (and disposing) of equipment when it is decommissioned/end of service life/end of lease including such things as concrete footings. Then get the answers in writing.
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Posted By: steve(ill)
Date Posted: 02 Jan 2026 at 4:29pm
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who is responsible for removal (and disposing) of equipment when it is decommissioned/end of service life/end of lease including such things as concrete footings thats the problem.. they can PROMISE you the moon.. but when they go Bankrupt and run off with the money, the footings are YOURS.... Again... GET THE MONEY UP FRONT.. ------------- Like them all, but love the "B"s. |
Posted By: Wispitfiremike
Date Posted: 02 Jan 2026 at 5:34pm
| Securing funds with a bond may cover you too if you have interest in the project. Keeps cost lower for company. |
Posted By: tadams(OH)
Date Posted: 03 Jan 2026 at 9:37am
| I agree with what has been said, What happens in 20 years with all the junk they have installed & what happens if they go out of business. If you go with it do you get free electric for 20 years? |
Posted By: DanWi
Date Posted: 03 Jan 2026 at 3:29pm
| How old are you? if your around 60 will it matter in 20 years? If your 40 are you going to retire at 60 and farm it. I think you would be lucky to deal with the same company for all those 20 years, if the original company doesn't go broke, it will be sold to investors or a huge company from God knows where. If it makes it 20 years, I don't see that land returning to farming, it would take a few years for cleanup and 10+ years to make productive farmland out of it. There will be gravel roads all over and who knows what kind of mess they will leave. They just had a story in the paper about a local church on the edge of town. They own the field next to the church and are putting up solar panels to offset their energy bill. They said that when the panels degrade in later years the panels would be replaced, and the old ones would be sent to 3rd world countries to provide power to them. I'm thinking a real feel-good story but who is going to go thru that trouble and what would that cost My sister-in-law has a windmill on their farm to power the dairy barn. Its a number of years old. They have had to replace the blades. I think they were 30ft. They have had electronic issues and internet issues. It is managed by a company that turns it off and on when power needs to be supplied to the grid. They don't just get to leave it run and make electricity and get credit. The thing needs repairs now and doesn't even run so now it isn't making them any money. The only thing is an internet company uses the tower for their antenna. MY opinion is the solar panels need to go on rooftops parking lots and wasteland not used for farming. Not on good farmland. So far, the American farmer has over produced enough to feed this country but if we keep wasting farmland some day we may not. |