Iowa State University’s first-year results show vegetables can grow successfully beneath and between solar panels. In fact, some even performed better than in full sun. That’s agrivoltaics in action: one acre, three harvests food, energy, and profit.

What Is Agrivoltaics (in 20 seconds)

Agrivoltaics = co-locating photovoltaic arrays with active agriculture (produce, livestock, pollinators) so the land keeps producing food while generating electricity. Proper panel height, row spacing, and farm-first layout make it work.

Fast Facts from Iowa State’s Living Lab

• Study Site: 10 acres, ~3,300 panels, Alliant Energy & ISU partnership near Ames, IA.

• Crops grown year 1: broccoli, summer squash, bell peppers (plus berries & grapes establishing).

• Results: broccoli slightly smaller under panels; squash and peppers slightly bigger under panels vs. full-sun controls.

• What’s next: expanding to tomatoes, more pollinator habitat, and continued multi-year trials.

Why This Matters for Regenerative Farmers

• Heat & water resilience: Panel shade tempers extreme heat, reduces evaporation, and can lower irrigation demand which is key to protecting soil life and plant health.

• Keep land in food: Dual use means acres stay productive instead of being fenced off for energy only (removing farmers from farmland).

• Community optics: A “solar-and-soil” design wins more local support than solar that displaces farming.

The How-To: Set Up Agrivoltaics on a Working Farm

1) Plan Like a Farmer (and an Engineer)

• Site & layout: Prioritize existing field operations (tractor lanes, irrigation runs, harvest access) then place panels (raised ~8–10 ft) with wider row spacing so equipment and light can reach crops.

• Choose the rack: Fixed-tilt is simpler; single-axis tracking boosts energy and can fine-tune shade. Use farm-friendly cable routing and protected conduits.

2) Match Crops to Microclimate

• Partial shade winners: Heat-sensitive veg (e.g., peppers, squash, leafy greens) often benefit from moderated midday sun (like ISU saw bigger squash & peppers).

• Perennials & pollinators: Establish berries, grapes, and native wildflower strips to stabilize soil, boost biodiversity, and reduce mowing.

3) Stack Regenerative Practices

• Continuous cover + drip: Keep ground covered with clover/pollinator mixes; use drip to maximize water efficiency in the cooler, shadier microclimate.

• Grazing under glass: Sheep are proven “solar mowers” which closes the loop on vegetation and fertility. (Plan fencing and junction-box protection.)

4) Partner Up & Finance It

• Utility or developer co-design: Negotiate dual-use specs (panel height/spacing) and keep farming in your lease terms.

• Stack incentives: The USDA REAP program offers grants/loans that can materially shorten payoff; check current availability in your state and utility net-metering rules.

The Money: Where You Make Bank

• Two revenue streams: Keep selling crops/hay and capture lease income or bill savings from solar generation.

• Cost control: Behind-the-meter solar can stabilize or cut power costs for irrigation, cold storage, and barns for 25+ years.

• Grant boost: REAP grants/loans can cover a meaningful share of project costs for ag producers and rural small businesses.

Soil Health Wins (That Also Help Yields)

• Cooler, moister soils: Shade reduces evaporation and wind exposure, supporting microbial life and reducing erosion.

• Biodiversity bump: Pollinator habitat under arrays improves ecosystem services (pollination, biocontrol) and can reduce operation & maintenance costs over your lease.

• On-farm proof: ISU’s field team reports commercial-scale veg production is practical under arrays; early data suggest in some cases you can produce more under panels than outside.

How To Get Started With Solar

1. Walk the field and sketch panel rows + equipment lanes.

2. Pick shade-compatible crops for under-panel bands; sunnier aisles get sun-hungry crops.

3. Specify panel height/spacing for farm access in your RFP/lease.

4. Install drip + groundcover to protect soil and cut evap.

5. Apply for USDA REAP funding; confirm net-metering/Interconnection.

6. Add pollinator strips or sheep grazing for low-input vegetation control.

7. Track yields vs. open-field plots; iterate crop map each season.

The Takeaway

You don’t have to choose between harvesting sunlight and harvesting food. Iowa State’s early results make it plain: with farmer-first design, agrivoltaics can boost resilience, protect soil, and improve farm economics (without surrendering your acres to single-use energy).