AMHERST - A proposal for a 2-megawatt solar farm that would provide renewable energy for the University of Massachusetts aroused opposition Tuesday from neighbors concerned about the visual impact of such a large facility.

The installation, proposed for a 15-acre field northwest of the campus, is designed as a research project for siting panels so that the agricultural land beneath them can continue to be used. But several of the 30 residents of nearby Amherst neighborhoods who attended an evening forum at the UMass School of Education said having such a laboratory test conducted near their homes would be unacceptable.

"I think the concern for the Valley Lane neighbors is what is going to be the visible impact," said Arnold Trehub, of 145 Farview Way. "Is it going to be an attractive installation, or a rough commercial enterprise?"

The project is likely to include the installation of 8,000 solar panels on what is known as Taylor Field which, while situated almost entirely in Hadley, directly abuts five homes on Valley Lane.

Lori Goldner, of 23 Valley Lane, said such a project would destroy views and reduce property values.

"This not a research project, it's a power plant," Goldner said.

Stephen Herbert, a professor of agronomy who serves as the director of the Massachusetts Center for Agriculture, has been overseeing a test program at the university's 358-acre research farm in South Deerfield where 106 solar panels, set almost 10 feet off the ground, have been generating 25 kilowatts of power, while at the same time the rich soil beneath them continues to be used for raising nursery plants and vegetables and grazing cattle.

He explained that his research could eventually be exported and help state and federal officials learn how to site solar projects without disturbing agricultural land.

"We can raise animals beneath the panels and keep land in agriculture," Herbert said. "This is really a good thing for Massachusetts to lead the way on."

UMass spokesman Ed Blaguszewski said the initiative, offering both research and community outreach opportunities, would also generate clean power and save the university about $200,000 a year in electricity costs.

"This is an important aspect of our energy future; we're all looking at ways to save money," Blaguszewski said.

Blaguszewski described the project, at a cost of $10 million to $12 million, as a "scale-up" of Herbert's ongoing tests.

UMass is in the midst of soliciting and selecting a company that would be hired to move forward with the work and, within a year, could have the solar arrays operating at the site.

Taylor Field, which in the past has been used to grow corn and more recently hay, was chosen because the site has good sun exposure, can be easily interconnected to the electric grid, and is close enough to the campus that it can be managed by the physical plant and Center for Agriculture, Herbert said.

It also has the type of soils and topography that are perfect for study. "This was a site directly translatable to agricultural research," Herbert said.

But neighbors asked whether other sites had been considered. Hadley Farm, for instance, where livestock and horses are kept, is more distant from residences.

"I think it should be seriously discussed," Trehub said.

Umass Deputy Chancellor Todd Diacon said UMass officials would consult with Herbert about this possibility.

If the site near Valley Lane is pursued, Blaguszewski said every effort will be made to ensure there is no glare from the panels and minimal noise from the inverters, which will be sited far away from homes,

"There will be no environmental degradation. This will be an environmentally friendly project producing environmentally friendly energy," Blaguszewski said.

Herbert said some sort of screening or fencing would likely be installed in consultation with neighbors. Such fencing, though, could reduce the wildlife that is often seen in the neighborhood, said Nonny Burack, of 40 Valley Lane.

"You're taking everything away from us," Burack said.

Burack added that this project also continues to demonstrate broken promises by the university, as residents had been assured no further development would encroach on their neighborhoods.

The project will not need a building permit, but Blaguszewski said it will likely have reviews by Conservation Commissions in both Hadley and Amherst.

The project would also be an opportunity for outreach to local middle and high school students through what the university calls a Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics initiative.

"This would be a great site for that to introduce students to the range of opportunities and technologies," Blaguszewski said.

The scale of the project is slightly smaller than the photovoltaic arrays the town of Amherst wants to place on a large portion of the former landfill on Belchertown Road. Town Manager John Musante said he is continuing to negotiate a power purchase agreement with BlueWave Capital to bring a 4.75-megawatt solar project onto the 53-acre site.

"We're making slow but steady progress," Musante said.

This project, which won support from Town Meeting when it overwhelmingly authorized Musante to enter into a long-term lease with BlueWave, subsequently has been the subject of a lawsuit filed by neighbors. Those concerned neighbors argue the town was supposed to maintain the site as a recreational area in perpetuity as part of the agreement to receive money for capping the landfill more than 20 years ago.