Agrivoltaics in the Midwest: Farming the Sun, Shade, and Community Challenges

Science Friday examines agrivoltaics, the practice of farming under solar panels to shade crops and generate energy on the same land. Through Missouri case studies and interviews with farmers and researchers, the episode discusses incentives, early results, and obstacles to scaling, including panel height, land use, and community acceptance. The conversation features KBIA producer Janet Rose Schleiss and University of Illinois economist Mahu Khana, highlighting both the potential benefits for farmers and the challenges of making agrivoltaics work for commodity crops.

Introduction to Agrivoltaics

Agrivoltaics is presented as the fusion of agriculture and photovoltaic energy on the same parcel of land. The host defines the concept and asks whether farmers can earn from both crops and solar power, hinting at a win-win scenario for environment and economy.

"it's the idea of doing these two activities, farming and generating solar power simultaneously and on the same piece of land." - Ira Flatow

Farmers and Incentives in the Midwest

The episode centers on small farmers in Missouri who see land use optimization and shade as major incentives for agrivoltaics. Linda Hetzel, who grows herbs and produce in Kearney, Missouri, describes how shade from a ground-mounted solar array allowed her to adapt to heat and drought, even harvesting earlier when it was cooler and more comfortable for workers.

"She began working under the shade of her ground-mounted solar array last year." - Linda Hetzel

Shade as a Benefit and the Sheep-Grazing Model

While the idea of shade benefiting some crops challenges conventional wisdom about full sun, early Missouri results, and broader climate contexts like Arizona, show that shading can preserve soil moisture and improve certain crops. The episode also notes that a common, scalable entry into agrivoltaics is sheep grazing, because sheep are well-suited to graze under panels without damaging infrastructure, unlike some other livestock.

"Having panels can significantly reduce evaporation and therefore preserve soil moisture." - Mahu Khana

Incentives for Collaboration Between Farmers and Developers

Both farmers and solar developers seek large sunny tracts of land, but agrivoltaics aims to reduce land-use competition and increase community acceptance by co-developing land for food and energy. The interview highlights a mutual interest in collaboration and community-friendly business models that share benefits locally.

"the solar industry can actually work with the farmers and try to co-develop the idea of producing food and energy on the same land" - Mahu Khana

Commodity Crops, Design Barriers, and Climate Considerations

Dr. Mahu Khana discusses mainstream agrivoltaic challenges for commodity crops like wheat and corn. Key barriers include increasing panel height to avoid shading crops, widening the space between rows to accommodate farming equipment, and the potentially reduced yields in shaded rows. He notes that design choices—whether panels tilt, track, or use certain materials—shape the crop-energy trade-offs and the economics of agricultural land use. He also argues that as climate becomes more variable, agrivoltaics might offer protection against extreme heat and heavy rainfall, potentially helping crops under future climate stress.

He also points out that these systems currently cover a small share of cropland, with estimates suggesting 0.5% to 1% of cropland is used for solar energy today, and projections showing that even by 2050 it would likely stay well below 2%. These figures underscore the need for new models—such as farmer-owned or co-developed projects—to unlock the broader potential of agrivoltaics.

Still, he cautions that shading can hurt high-sun crops when spacing is tight and that the economics depends heavily on land availability, crop type, and design choices. As climate change progresses, however, agricultural landscapes and energy systems may become more compatible through optimized layouts and advanced equipment that can operate in narrower spaces.

Policy, Community, and the Path Forward

The discussion turns to community opposition to solar panels on farmland, often rooted in aesthetic concerns but driven by deeper issues of identity and place in agricultural communities. Restrictions and bans on converting cropland to solar energy create delays and can raise the cost of projects. The solution proposed emphasizes co-development with communities, revenue sharing, and investments in local improvements such as schools, signaling a more integrated approach to land use that benefits both farmers and electricity consumers.

Looking ahead, the experts advocate research on optimal land use configurations, higher panel heights that still allow productive farming, and the development of smaller, more flexible farming equipment and robotics that can operate in tighter spaces. They also propose exploring different ownership models that give farmers greater stake in solar projects, potentially improving earn-out opportunities and resilience for rural communities.

Future Research and a Call to Innovation

The speakers agree that agrivoltaics is in early stages and that much remains to learn about optimizing co-location of crops and energy. They suggest that AI, robots, and smarter design could unlock new efficiencies and make agrivoltaics a mainstream option for the country’s diverse farming systems. The conversation closes with a hopeful note that innovation, collaboration, and policy support can help agrivoltaics become a practical, accepted pathway for sustainable farming and clean energy.

Content in this post references and expands on material presented in the original Science Friday episode, including interviews with Janet Rose Schleiss of KBIA and Mahu Khana of the University of Illinois, and covers the discussions on farmers' incentives, design challenges, and community engagement.