Find Land Near Power Lines Using a Map

Looking for land near power lines?

That’s a common step in planning energy projects, especially solar or wind. Proximity to transmission is key for keeping connection costs low.

With Atlas, you can find and map land near power lines using built-in OpenStreetMap data. No need for manual files or shapefiles.

Here’s how to do it in a few steps.

Step 1: Add the Power Line Layer

Atlas has a direct integration with OpenStreetMap (OSM).

To get started:

1. Open the OpenStreetMap integration
2. Choose tag Power: Line
3. Query the Power Line data within an area

This brings in a detailed map of high-voltage transmission and distribution lines across your region.

Step 2: Add Land Parcels or Draw Areas

Next, you’ll want to see where available land sits relative to those power lines.

You can either:

• Import land parcel data (CSV, shapefile, or GeoJSON)
• Or Draw your own search areas with the polygon tool

This creates a reference for screening land locations.

Step 3: Use the Buffer Tool

Now it’s time to highlight land that’s close to power lines.

1. Go to Vector Operations → Buffer
2. Select the Power Line layer as your source
3. Set the distance — for example, 500m or 1km
4. Run the tool

Atlas will create a buffer zone around all power lines, showing the area within your target distance.

Step 4: Find Land Inside the Buffer Zone

Use the Intersect operation to find which parcels fall inside the buffer zone:

• Select your land parcels or polygons
• Choose Filter by overlap with the power line buffer
• This gives you a shortlist of parcels close to transmission lines

These are the areas you should prioritize for further checks.

Step 5: Review and Export

You can now:

• Click parcels to inspect details (size, slope, zoning, etc.)
• Add more map layers like roads, substations, or zoning
• Export the shortlist as a CSV, PDF map, or share the map with a link

Why This Matters

Finding land near power lines early saves time and money.

It helps:

• Solar developers avoid long grid extensions
• Wind planners reduce interconnect delays
• Consultants make fast site recommendations
• Investors validate site potential in seconds

And because the data comes from OpenStreetMap, it's always up to date and doesn’t require expensive licenses.

Tips

• Combine with slope or flood zone layers for better site screening
• Adjust buffer distance based on project type (e.g. solar farms might prefer <1 km)
• Use layer styling to color land by availability or priority

Atlas makes it easy to find land near transmission lines — with live map layers and no manual files.

If you want help setting this up, reach out and we’ll walk you through it.

Site Search and Evaluation with Atlas

Like most GIS platforms, Atlas can help you look at maps. But when it comes to site search and evaluation, Atlas goes much further.

It’s built specifically for people who need to spot the right land, fast.

Whether you’re scouting for renewable energy projects, industrial expansions, new retail locations, or land investment opportunities—Atlas gives you the tools to compare parcels, overlay key data, and share results with your team.

This isn’t just about seeing what’s on a map. It’s about making a decision.

Let’s break down how Atlas helps you find and evaluate sites more efficiently.

Bring Your Own Data or Start From What’s Built In

Sometimes you already have a list of parcels. Other times you’re starting from scratch.

Atlas works well in both cases.

Upload a CSV with parcel data, or drop in shapefiles from your GIS team. You can also use drawing tools to sketch out potential sites manually. Each shape becomes a layer you can click, label, and filter.

But if you don’t have data, no problem.

Layer Key Data to Evaluate Site Potential

This is where Atlas stands out.

Instead of flipping between different platforms to compare slope, access, zoning, and flood risk—you just layer it all on the same map.

You can:

• Add flood zone shapefiles
• Import elevation and run Slope Analysis
• Draw buffers around power lines or roads
• Overlay wind speed rasters and compare to parcels
• Tag constraints like wetlands or protected areas

Each layer is styled visually—so you can color, label, and toggle visibility depending on what you need to see.

That means less time guessing, and more time seeing.

Also read: Overlay Wind Data on Parcel Map

Style, Filter, and Compare Sites Fast

Atlas makes it easy to surface the parcels that matter.

Need to find all land within 1km of a substation and outside the flood zone and with a slope under 10%?

No problem.

You can filter by overlap, intersect layers, or use visual styling (like heatmaps or range coloring) to compare sites at a glance. This helps you narrow down dozens or hundreds of parcels into a shortlist—based on your actual criteria.

It’s the kind of analysis that would take hours in traditional GIS tools. In Atlas, it’s built in.

Save Views, Share Maps, and Move Quickly

Once you’ve identified viable sites, you don’t want to waste time copying screenshots into slides.

Just share a live map.

Atlas lets you save views with specific layers turned on, annotate them with labels or comments, and export the results as PDFs, images, or shareable links. Your team sees exactly what you see.

Clients, engineers, or investors can explore the map in real-time—without needing a login or software.

Real Teams Use It This Way Every Day

Atlas is used by solar developers, land acquisition teams, consultants, and manufacturers across industries.

They’re using it to:

• Evaluate wind and solar potential
• Compare parcels for land deals
• Screen out sites with slope, flood, or zoning issues
• Plan for infrastructure access
• Report site findings to partners and clients

In short, if your job involves picking land or comparing locations—Atlas makes it easier.

Smarter Site Search Starts with the Right Tools

You don’t need to be a GIS expert to evaluate land like one.

Atlas takes the tools that used to be hidden behind complicated software and makes them available right in the browser.

So whether you’re screening 10 parcels or 1,000, you can see the data clearly, layer what matters, and share results in minutes—not days.

Flood zones? Check. Slope? Done. Proximity to grid? Covered. Team visibility? One link.

That’s what modern site evaluation looks like in Atlas.

Boost Your Workflow with the Right Tools

Site planning moves fast. Whether you're checking slope, flood zones, proximity to power lines, or wind potential—speed and clarity matter.

Atlas gives you both.

In this article, we covered the find land near power lines, but that’s just one of many things you can do with Atlas.

From overlaying data to running analysis, styling layers, and sharing maps with your team, Atlas makes complex site evaluation tasks simple and visual. All from your browser. No GIS experience needed.

So whether you're screening parcels, comparing risk, or narrowing down locations, Atlas helps you move from "just looking" to "let’s go" faster.

Sign up for free or book a walkthrough today.