How farmers and ranchers can benefit from dual-use solar development
As renewable energy expands across rural America, farmers and ranchers face a key question: how can renewable energy projects fit into working landscapes without displacing agriculture? One promising answer is agrivoltaics.
What is Agrivoltaics?
Agrivoltaics is a form of dual-use land management where solar panels are installed in ways that allow crops or livestock to continue thriving beneath or between the installations. Instead of replacing farmland with renewable energy projects, agrivoltaics integrates solar power with farming practices.
Examples of integrating agrivoltaics into working farmland include:
- Installing vertical or elevated panels that allow crops like grains, fruits and vegetables to grow underneath.
- Increasing distance between the panel and ground so livestock can graze underneath and benefit from the shade.
- Leaving ample space between solar panels so farm equipment can still maneuver for planting or harvesting.
- Stilting solar panels above specialty crops like apples, berries or grapes to allow for sunlight to be captured in orchards or vineyards.
Key Benefits of Agrivoltaics
The benefits of agrivoltaics reach further than just land use efficiency. Agrivoltaics also provides crop and livestock protection since solar panels can shield crops from hail or extreme sun, while animals benefit from shade that reduces heat stress.
Another added benefit is that communities are more accepting of agrivoltaics compared to conventional solar, and many consumers are even willing to pay a premium for power produced this way.
It Doesn’t Have to Be One-Size-Fits-All
Agrivoltaics shows that renewable energy doesn’t have to replace agriculture—it can complement it. By producing food and energy on the same land, agrivoltaics helps farmers and ranchers diversify income while keeping farmland productive for generations to come.
REFA is here to help you evaluate the opportunities on your terms while protecting your land, livelihood and legacy. Learn more about our membership benefits here.
