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Articles by Jeff H Risley
Can renewables and forage share the same acre?
Beef cattle graze under wind turbines on grassland, combining livestock production with clean energy generation. Image courtesy of Renewable Energy Farmers of America. When a wind or solar developer calls about leasing your hayfield or pasture, the first question is usually, “What does this mean for my forage operation?” Across the country, farmers and ranchers are finding ways to keep grazing cattle, producing sheep and baling hay alongside renewable energy infrastructure.
Five ways communities can shape renewable energy projects
If you have driven past survey stakes on a nearby property, noticed land agents at the coffee shop or heard that a neighbor signed a solar or wind lease, you are not alone. Renewable energy development is expanding across rural communities, and most of the conversation focuses on what it means for the landowners directly involved. But it often raises a broader question: what does a project like this mean for the community as a whole? Some communities shape that outcome early.
Five ways communities can shape renewable energy projects
If you have driven past survey stakes on a nearby property, noticed land agents at the coffee shop or heard that a neighbor signed a solar or wind lease, you are not alone. Renewable energy development is expanding across rural communities, and most of the conversation focuses on what it means for the landowners directly involved. But it often raises a broader question: what does a project like this mean for the community as a whole? Some communities shape that outcome early.
Protect farmers' property rights, spur energy development | Opinion
Farmers know their land best, and they should remain in control of how it is used. Jeff Risley Guest columnist March 28, 2026, 5:15 a.m. CT Jeff Risley is executive director of the Renewable Energy Farmers of America. This session, Iowa Statehouse leaders are considering legislation that would secure private property rights for Iowa farmers by establishing a state strategy for developing renewable energy projects.
Opinion: Farmers Know Their Land Best – Trust them to Make Decisions - The Missouri Times
Today, Missouri legislators are considering legislation that would eliminate a farmer’s ability to diversify their land through solar energy development. At its core, this debate is about trust: do we trust Missouri farmers to make responsible, forward-looking decisions about their own land, or do we believe the state knows better? The answer is clear: farmers have proven for generations that they are careful stewards and smart decision-makers who understand risk and land like no one else.
Moving Beyond “Either-Or” Land Use
Nearly all utility-scale wind and solar projects are hosted on private farms and ranches. These projects take root in places where families are working the land, passing it on through generations and weighing decisions that will affect both their livelihood and their legacy. For developers and power producers, this reality underscores a simple truth: farmers and ranchers are not just site hosts, they are long-term partners whose buy-in is essential to project success.
The Telehealth Takeover-and How it Benefits Marketers
COVID has undoubtedly changed how providers interact with field reps, relying more on digital and mobile messaging instead of the tried and true face to face. COVID has also changed adoption rates of telehealth dramatically, for even the most analog of providers. If patients don’t want to leave the house, or can’t if severely compromised, much of the provider universe has had no recourse but to adapt or risk getting left behind.
Wind Farms Fueling Growth in Rural Communities
December 20,2019 14:11 / by Jeff H Risley While some economic sectors seem to have bypassed rural America completely, wind energy is a different story. Over 99 percent of America’s wind turbine infrastructure is based in rural communities. These wind farms bring tremendous economic growth to smaller U.S. towns with new jobs, lease income for landowners hosting turbines and new tax revenues that fund local infrastructure, law enforcement, schools and other vital services.
3 Big Benefits of Drones for Oil and Gas Companies
November 18,2019 9:00 / by Jeff H Risley Drones have become an increasingly popular research and data-collection tool in a variety of industries over the last few years, and the oil and gas sector is no exception. Companies are turning to drones , (also referred to as Unmanned Autonomous Vehicles (UAVs)), to not only go where humans can’t go and monitor what humans can’t see, but also to help improve the bottom line.
The Role Blockchain Technology Will Play In Energy
October 28,2019 8:00 / by Jeff H Risley Much like companies in every other industry today, energy companies are focused on navigating the process of digital transformation. Technology is, of course, the driver of that transformation, and embracing innovation and disruption is rapidly becoming the new normal. But with change inherently comes risk. That’s where blockchain technology and the role it will play in the energy industry is significant. What is Blockchain?
Europe Leads the Charge in Clean Energy Investing - What’s Ahead for the US?
October 2,2019 8:00 / by Jeff H Risley Oil and gas majors are starting to acknowledge the impact that energy transition will have on their core business and are already making significant investments in the clean energy industry, with Europe leading the charge. While no major company has made investments in clean energy that rival the money it spends on oil and gas, European companies like Equinor, Total and Royal Dutch Shell have now collectively sunk billions into the industry.
IKEA and Little Sun Partner on Sammanlänkad Project to Bring Power to the World
September 19,2019 8:00 / by Jeff H Risley A billion people the world over have little to no access to power. IKEA and Little Sun’s Sammanlänkad project aims to solve that problem by way of a collection of products that are powered by the sun. Little Sun was co-founded by artist and entrepreneur Olafur Eliasson and engineer Frederik Ottesen in 2012 to provide access to clean, affordable energy to communities without access to electricity.
NextEra Signs Massive Wind, Solar, Storage Deal in Oklahoma
Western Farmers Electric Cooperative (WFEC) recently announced it had entered into a power purchase agreement with a subsidiary of NextEra Energy Resources, LLC, for the largest combined wind, solar and energy storage project in the U.S. The project is the first of its kind announced in the Southwest Power Pool (SPP), the electric grid region that includes Oklahoma and 13 other states in the central U.S. covering 546,000 square miles.
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