In 2024, a New York dairy farmer kept farming alongside a 6.5-megawatt solar project; wider panel spacing allowed tractors to pass and hay to grow

When a solar developer approached a dairy farmer in New Bremen, New York, with this proposal, he instead suggested an option often discussed for solar farms: letting sheep graze around the panels. Underneath, the farmer had a different plan. The farm produced hay and corn and supported livestock operations, including dairy cattle, according to Cornell University’s report on the project. He wanted the income from solar energy, but he was not willing to sacrifice the work his land already supported.

Making room for farming between the panels

The Cornell University report published in August 2024 indicated that farmers and developer Greg Hering reached an agreement to set solar panels at greater intervals so that tractors could pass through them, and ground work could progress. The project gives an output of 6.5 MW while farmers have the opportunity to use the territory. By the time the report was published, the panels were generating electricity, the farmer was receiving lease payments, and harvested hay had reached about 85% of the crop’s normal yield.


Key challenges faced

The major change that needed to be made was spacing. Although solar panels require sunlight to produce electricity, farmers need space for equipment to operate efficiently, including harvesting machinery and other tools. Solar panel systems placed too close together could complicate daily farming operations. Hering, who is the CEO and one of the founders of ClearPath Energy (a company based in Boston) explained that having larger gaps permitted the panels to cast less shadows on one another during the day. Having larger gaps also meant the panels cast fewer shadows on one another during the day.

That adjustment mattered because this was not an unused piece of land waiting for a new purpose. The farmer actually had an established farm and needed to work on it. The project demonstrated that a solar lease could provide additional income while allowing the farmer to continue agricultural operations. Crops may be produced by growing between or underneath the panels, or livestock may be reared while grazing in places that are suitable for them, according to the project design. The specific layout will be determined by the plants, animals, machinery, and type of solar equipment to be used.

Why farmers are weighing solar leases

For farmers, a solar lease can offer something agriculture does not always provide: predictable income over time. Crop yields and farm earnings may change due to climate conditions and the market. Solar rent can provide additional financial resources to cover operating expenses and invest in the future of their farms.

However, leasing farmland to develop an energy facility creates a dilemma for many farmers. If the land is taken out of cultivation, then there is a lack of space to grow crops and feed, and develop the business. Moreover, once panels and supporting equipment are installed, returning land to farming can also require careful planning and soil protection.

The American Farmland Trust's Smart Solar program notes that the United States could need more than 10 million acres for solar development by 2050, with a large share potentially located on agricultural land. Its approach calls for expanding renewable energy while protecting productive farmland and keeping land available for future agricultural use. For that reason, projects that allow farming to continue can offer a useful middle ground. They give landowners a way to participate in renewable energy development while preserving some of the land's original purpose.

Why one design will not work for every farm

The New Bremen project is encouraging, however, it does not imply that solar panels will always be able to be mounted easily on any field. Different fields will require different designs depending on the crops grown and the equipment used.

Hay fields may allow tractors to travel between widely spaced rows, but large-scale corn production can require wider machinery and more room to maneuver. The livestock might also have to be provided with the appropriate access, shelter, and place to move around. Therefore, a design that works for one agricultural operation may not suit another farm with different crops, machinery, or land-use needs.

Another factor to be considered is that of shade. The placement of panels would affect the amount of sunlight falling on the crops and water movement in the soil. While some crops would thrive under decreased heat or evaporation, other crops would yield lower production when there is a decrease in sunlight. Consequently, farmers and developers would have to think about crop yields, machine accessibility, and future plans.

Testing a farmer-first approach

Cornell University has also expanded research into agrivoltaics through state-supported programs examining engineering, crop science, economics, policy, and social impacts of combining agriculture and solar energy. Farmers need solid information about their yields, soil conditions, access to equipment, costs, and impacts of solar panels on land. The broader challenge is designing renewable energy projects that support both electricity production and agricultural productivity. The New Bremen project shows how adapting solar layouts to existing farm practices can help achieve that balance.