Agrivoltaics – overlaying solar arrays with agriculture – is a newer method of farming being tested for such operations as animal farms, crops, greenhouses and parks. Research gaps exist, according to Crops in Solar Agrivoltaics Project Manager Caroline Marschner, and large-scale agrivoltaics need further testing to predict yield impacts on crops with greater accuracy.

“Out West, crops grew better under the solar array where they have an overabundance of light and drought. Shade is also beneficial to crops,” New York-based Marschner said. “Our job is to see what might work.”

Last year, Rutgers University grew soybeans under a more widely-spaced higher array in a historically dry autumn. Marschner said those soybeans did better under the array rather than outside of it.

UMass found similar results in 2018 and 2019 when they looked at leafy greens under a custom-built solar array that was specifically for agrivoltaics, Marschner said. “They found in a hot, dry year some of the leafy greens did better under a solar array,” she said.

The examples from Rutgers and UMass highlight the potential for agrivoltaics to serve as a climate-resilient farming strategy, especially in regions prone to drought or excessive heat.

Massachusetts’s dual-use law is an example of policy supporting agrivoltaics, Marschner said, and it’s exciting to see Cornell and the Hudson Valley Research Lab exploring innovative applications like solar over apple orchards. These efforts could pave the way for the widespread adoption of agrivoltaics in New York and beyond.

A collaboration with UMass also installed solar panels above a cranberry bog in Carver, MA. The panels provide shade, reducing water evaporation and creating a stable environment for the cranberry plants.

Another project at UMass Amherst explores solar panels mounted above crops like hazelnuts and elderberries, aiming to improve water conservation and crop yields.

“We operate a smaller scale farming facility in Ravenna, New York,” Marschner said. “We are doing a trial of a wide range of crops to see if they do well in a conventional solar array.”

They’re using a single access tracking array that tilts like a sunflower following the sun that’s higher than a fixed tilt array that is in the ground and does not move.

“It’s more conducive to growing plants,” Marschner explained.

Using a three-acre farm, the research team has two sets of plots both inside and outside the array so they can compare how well they do. Funding is provided through the New York State Department of Ag & Markets using solar arrays with Greenbacker Capital’s support.

Marschner said their involvement in renewable energy projects underscores their commitment to sustainable development and inspires such collaborations that drive forward both energy and agricultural innovation.

“Agrivoltaics is a good fit for solar that is owned by the farmer. They can grow whatever they want by building out solar on their farm,” she said. “Agrivoltaics could work in an array of scales. We are hoping our research will in the next year or two will help inform what makes sense in New York.”

For developer-owned arrays, long-term leases often prioritize energy production, but integrating agrivoltaics could still be mutually beneficial, according to Marschner. Developers might see value in vegetation management through grazing or shade-tolerant crops, while landowners could benefit from diversified income streams.

Institutions like Cornell CALS and NYSERDA are already exploring agrivoltaics, testing crops and assessing economic and environmental impacts. Their findings could complement Marschner’s team’s efforts and help shape best practices for the state.

Large-scale solar farms often occupy agricultural land, and integrating farming practices under solar arrays could maximize land use efficiency.