- A 1-megawatt solar project in Big Lake, Minnesota, allows three farmers to grow crops between and around solar panels.
- The project demonstrates how agrivoltaics can support food production, provide longer-term farmland access and improve community acceptance of solar development.
A 1-megawatt solar project in Big Lake, Minnesota, is combining renewable energy generation with agricultural production as three farmers cultivate crops between rows of solar panels.
The project, operated through a partnership between The Food Group, U.S. Solar and Conexus Energy, uses agrivoltaics to combine solar power generation with farming. The model provides farmers with access to affordable farmland while allowing solar developers to maintain agricultural activity on project sites.
The Big Lake project began as a pilot in 2023 before becoming a permanent programme this year. Three farmers have since signed 10-year leases for the land, giving them greater certainty to develop their operations and adapt their farming practices.
Farmer Winifred Sylvah has harvested about 140 pounds of cucumbers from her plot and also grows onions, collard greens, green beans and scallions within the solar garden.
“I decided to take a chance,” Sylvah said, describing her decision to participate in the project.
The Food Group has also installed irrigation systems and a walk-in cooler to support production and post-harvest storage. The longer leases give farmers more time to experiment with crops, improve soil management and pursue longer-term farming plans.
Food Group Executive Director Sophia Lenarz-Coy said longer-term access to land gives farmers greater flexibility to develop their operations.
“What’s nice about people having longer term leases is they’ll have a little more time to experiment,” Lenarz-Coy said.
Agrivoltaics can also address land-use concerns surrounding large solar developments. Research from Iowa State University shows that farmers can produce crops within agrivoltaic systems at yields comparable to conventional farming in several applications.
Ajay Nair, a professor at Iowa State University who has led agrivoltaics research, said growers can commercially produce crops within these systems.
“Any grower can commercially grow their produce within an agrivoltaic system,” Nair said.
Researchers have tested different fruits and vegetables at a 10-acre solar garden developed with utility company Alliant Energy. Nair said underground wiring and the spacing between solar rows allow farmers to cultivate the land, while some crops can benefit from partial shade.
Solar projects can also create operational benefits for farmers and developers. Farmers who regularly work on solar sites can identify damaged equipment or other problems after storms and alert project operators.
Nair said agricultural activity can also help solar developers build stronger relationships with surrounding communities.
“Having some sort of an agriculture system in there gives them the social license to operate,” Nair said.
Agrivoltaics in the United States has largely focused on livestock grazing. In Morris, Minnesota, researchers at the University of Minnesota-Morris have operated a cattle agrivoltaics project for eight years. About 275 cows graze beneath and between a 500-kilowatt solar array.
Animal science professor Brad Heins said the solar panels provide shade that can reduce heat stress among the cattle and support healthier and more productive herds.
“I think it’s garnered a lot of interest in Minnesota and around the world,” Heins said.
For farmers such as Sylvah, the model also addresses a longstanding challenge: access to affordable, secure farmland. Short-term leases can limit farmers’ ability to invest in soil improvements, build markets and pursue certifications.
Sylvah, who moved to Minnesota from Sierra Leone in the 1980s, began farming professionally after retiring from a career in banking. She previously worked at The Food Group’s Big River Farms, an incubator programme for emerging farmers.
The Big Lake project provides Sylvah with about 1.5 acres, including one acre within the solar garden and another half-acre on adjacent land.
She has also developed markets for West African crops, including okra, sweet potato greens, collard greens and eggplant. She sells her produce through a community-supported agriculture programme and supplies local school districts in Albertville and Buffalo, Minnesota.
The project demonstrates how solar development can share land with agricultural production while creating additional opportunities for farmers. Its longer-term leases, agricultural infrastructure and renewable-energy facilities provide a model for integrating food production with clean-energy development.