SolarRisk Tracker / Explore / AL / Lowndes

Lowndes County, AL — Solar Development Risk Assessment

Local solar ordinance barriers, board sentiment, and utility policies that affect development timelines and risk.

68
Risk Grade
Poor
Lowndes County is among the most economically distressed in the US; no planning infrastructure; no solar permitting pathway; Alabama Power territory; declining population eliminates local demand base
Assessment Snapshot
Population
10600
State Rank
#44
Compliance
76%
Trajectory
72

Moratorium Status

✓ No Active Moratorium
No

Ordinance & Regulations

Setback Requirements
No established setback requirements; no formal zoning framework for solar
Zoning Mechanism
County commission direct vote only; no formal zoning; no established criteria for solar approval
Acreage Caps
None established
Density Caps
None established
Spacing Rules
None established
Size Restrictions
None established

Board Sentiment & Political Risk

Sentiment Analysis
Conservative-neutral
Basis for Assessment
One of the poorest counties in the US; near-total absence of county governance capacity for solar
Political Risk Factors
Stable-Negative
Board Members
5-member county commission (elected)

Grid, Utilities & State Context

Grid Operator
SERC — Southern Company / Alabama Power
Utilities
Alabama Power
State Permitting Process
County-level only; no statewide solar permitting statute
State Incentives
Limited — no RPS; net metering capped at 2 MW residential

Development Activity

Active/Completed Projects
Letohatchee Solar / Alabama Power (80 MW, 2021)
Denied/Withdrawn Projects
0

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Last verified: April 2026 (web research) | SolarRisk Tracker | Data sources: Government records, utility filings, public meeting minutes