Minnesota has 519 solar farms in the EIA Form 860 database, with a combined installed capacity of 1,640 MW. Of those, 4 plants are utility-scale (50 MW or larger), including 1 mega-projects of 200 MW or more. The largest single facility is Sherco Solar I in Clear Lake, Sherburne County — a 265 MW plant operated by Northern States Power Co – Minnesota.
Use the interactive Minnesota solar farms map below to explore every plant, color-coded by technology type and sized by capacity. Click any solar farm for its name, operator, capacity (MW), technology, and location — or view the full US solar farms interactive map to compare Minnesota to every other state.
Type
Capacity
Minnesota Solar Farms by the Numbers
- 519 total solar farms in Minnesota (EIA Form 860 (US Energy Information Administration), latest reporting period)
- 1,640 MW total installed solar capacity
- 6 MW co-located battery storage capacity
- 4 utility-scale plants (50 MW or larger)
- 1 mega-projects rated 200 MW or larger
- 441 small / community-scale plants (under 5 MW)
Minnesota Solar Farms by Technology Type
- 517 Solar Photovoltaic (PV) — standard panel installations, the dominant technology nationwide
- 2 Solar PV with Battery Storage — newer hybrid plants that pair panels with on-site batteries to store excess generation
The 15 Largest Solar Farms in Minnesota
The largest solar farm in Minnesota by installed capacity is Sherco Solar I at 265 MW. The 15 largest Minnesota solar farms from the latest EIA filing:
| # | Solar Farm | Operator | Capacity | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sherco Solar I | Northern States Power Co – Minnesota | 265 MW | Clear Lake, Sherburne |
| 2 | North Star Solar Project | North Star Solar PV LLC | 100 MW | North Branch, Chisago |
| 3 | Marshall Solar Energy Project | Marshall Solar Energy Project | 62 MW | Marshall, Lyon |
| 4 | Louise Solar | National Grid Renewables | 50 MW | Taopi, Mower |
| 5 | Hoot Lake Solar | Otter Tail Power Co | 50 MW | Fergus Falls, Otter Tail |
| 6 | Fillmore County Solar Project | National Grid Renewables | 45 MW | Spring Valley, Fillmore |
| 7 | Sylvan Solar | ALLETE, Inc. | 15 MW | Pillager, Cass |
| 8 | Camp Ripley Solar | Camp Riley Solar Facility | 11 MW | Little Falls, Morrison |
| 9 | Paynesville Solar | Enel Green Power NA, Inc. | 10 MW | Paynesville, Stearns |
| 10 | Marshall Solar Plus LLC | Western Minnesota Mun Pwr Agny | 10 MW + 5 MW battery | Marshall, Lyon |
| 11 | Waseca Solar | Enel Green Power NA, Inc. | 10 MW | Waseca, Waseca |
| 12 | Albany Solar | Enel Green Power NA, Inc. | 10 MW | Albany, Stearns |
| 13 | Westside Solar | Westside Solar, LLC (Ecofin) | 10 MW | Rochester, Olmsted |
| 14 | West Waconia Solar | Enel Green Power NA, Inc. | 8 MW | Norwood Young America, Carver |
| 15 | Lake Pulaski Solar | Enel Green Power NA, Inc. | 8 MW | Buffalo, Wright |
Top Solar Operators in Minnesota
Five operators account for the largest share of solar generation in Minnesota:
- Northern States Power Co – Minnesota — 1 plant, 265 MW total
- National Grid Renewables — 40 plants, 164 MW total
- Enel Green Power NA, Inc. — 16 plants, 100 MW total
- North Star Solar PV LLC — 1 plant, 100 MW total
- Marshall Solar Energy Project — 1 plant, 62 MW total
Solar Permitting and Regulation in Minnesota
Utility-scale solar in Minnesota is overseen by the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission. Wholesale market participation and interconnection are regulated by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and the relevant ISO/RTO. All generators above 1 MW must report capacity, fuel type, and location to the EIA via Form 860 — the dataset used in this map.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many solar farms are in Minnesota?
Minnesota has 519 solar farms in the latest EIA Form 860 filing — a combined 1,640 MW of installed capacity. Of those, 4 are utility-scale (50 MW or larger).
What is the largest solar farm in Minnesota?
The largest solar farm in Minnesota is Sherco Solar I, located in Clear Lake (Sherburne County), with 265 MW of installed capacity. It is operated by Northern States Power Co – Minnesota.
How much solar capacity does Minnesota have?
Minnesota has 1,640 MW of installed solar capacity across 519 plants reporting to the EIA. This counts only the solar portion (Solar_MW field) — co-located batteries and other generation are reported separately.
Who regulates solar farms in Minnesota?
Solar farms in Minnesota are regulated by the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission at the state level, with federal oversight from FERC. The EIA collects annual data on every utility-scale solar plant via Form 860.
View all 6,406 US solar farms on the national interactive map
