Freeborn County
Freeborn County, Minnesota: solar permitting grade C (score 43/100, Elevated Risk). Score has been stable over the last 12 months. Primary-source ordinance and board-vote data on SitePath.
Public summary
| Grade | C · Elevated Risk · Score 43/100 |
| Population | 30,281 |
| Solar ordinance | Active solar ordinance on the books |
| Active moratorium | None on record |
| Regulatory trajectory | Stable (no material ordinance movement) |
| 12-month score movement | Stable |
| Last verified | 2026-05-02 |
Developer outlook
Freeborn County carries elevated permitting risk. Developers should budget additional time for ordinance review, public hearing preparation, and community engagement. Minnesota's state RPS policy provides a supportive macro backdrop for renewables, even where individual county ordinances are restrictive. Market saturation is elevated in this area — expect competition for prime land parcels and interconnection capacity.
Local intel
On file: energy-related meetings
- 2024-08-20SolarThe Freeborn County Planning Commission approved Conditional Use Permit #412 for Stag Moose Solar, LLC to establish a new 3-MW solar array in Section 30 of… · agenda
- 2024-08-13WindCommissioner Workshop Agenda: Discussion of wind project proposal · agenda
- 2024-04-16SolarFreeborn County considers entering into an agreement with Apex Facility Solutions, LLC for a directed engineering study on a solar project. · agenda
Cities, towns & townships
Local governments in Freeborn County. An incorporated city, town or village can adopt its own zoning, separate from the county’s.
- Albert Lea city
- Alden city
- Clarks Grove city
- Conger city
- Emmons city
- Freeborn city
- Geneva city
- Glenville city
- Hartland city
- Hayward city
- Hollandale city
- Manchester city
- Myrtle city
- Twin Lakes city
- Albert Lea township
- Alden township
- Bancroft township
- Bath township
- Carlston township
- Freeborn township
- Freeman township
- Geneva township
- Hartland township
- Hayward township
Show all
- London township
- Manchester township
- Mansfield township
- Moscow township
- Newry township
- Nunda township
- Oakland township
- Pickerel Lake township
- Riceland township
- Shell Rock township
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, incorporated places and county subdivisions with an active government.
Nearby counties
- Worth County, IA · ≈21 miC43—
- Steele County · ≈24 miB35—
- Waseca County · ≈27 miB36—
- Winnebago County, IA · ≈28 miB35—
- Mower County · ≈30 miB39—
- Faribault County · ≈30 miC47—
Compare these counties side-by-side →
Freeborn County ranks #65 of 87 ranked Minnesota counties (1 = lowest permitting risk). Lowest-risk in Minnesota: Ramsey County (A · 26), Hennepin County (A · 27), Rock County (A · 28). See all Minnesota county grades →
Want the full record?
Setback distances, board vote histories, source documents, and ordinance amendments are available in the full county profile. The map is free; a walkthrough shows you the underlying record.
About this score
Every U.S. county is scored 0–100 on solar permitting risk (lower is friendlier to development). The grade is a weighted composite of compliance stringency, market saturation, regulatory trajectory, and data uncertainty. Every figure traces back to a primary government document. Read the full methodology →
Related reading
SitePath Intelligence is a research platform. Data verified as of 2026-05-02. Scores update on a quarterly review cycle.