Major energy companies are scouring the rural property market for places to build wind and solar farms.

Reports say groups such as Origin, AGL, Acciona, Epuron and UPC Renewables Group are all searching the eastern seaboard for farmers willing to do a deal.

UPC has secured a lease for about 20,000 hectares of cattle and sheep farms for solar technology, and says demand is not slowing down.

“The farms we are looking for depend on three key things including the proximity to electricity transmission and distribution, the environment where there is no native vegetation and exposure to the resource of sunlight or wind,” UPC chief executive Anton Rohner has told Fairfax.

“We have done lease deals of up to 50 years and we expect the pace of deals to steadily continue.”

Longreach grazier and businessman James Walker recently struck a deal with a Canadian company to lease 50 hectares for solar farming, and is now out helping other farmers secure similar leases over their farms.

“We are now fielding a lot of inquiries from beef producers who are getting inquiries from the companies who want to take leases,” he said.

“They want to know how to engage the right companies because there are a lot of opportunities for which the traditional farmer may not be aware.”

Rural agents are learning the game too.

Elders Queensland state manager John Burke said energy companies have started looking for leases or even acquisitions.

“We had a bit of a bubble for that inquiry back in autumn and I think it will probably come back again. It is a bit speculative.”