Larger ground mounted solar projects are expected to play an important role in reaching New York’s longterm goals. Agricultural land in close proximity to transmission access is particularly suitable for the development of solar projects because it is flat, open, and relatively easy to develop. However, it is also important to promote the economic viability of agriculture in the State by minimizing land use conflicts between solar development and agriculture. One option that is gaining momentum throughout the U.S. and internationally is “agrivoltaics”, or the co-utilization of land for agricultural production and solar energy generation. Agrivoltaics is a developing practice in New York State (NYS) and in other places across the country and the world. Examples of agrivoltaics include, but are not limited to, the use of livestock grazers, such as sheep and cattle, to maintain vegetation in solar panel arrays while panels provide shading and protection from the weather; and growing crops that can thrive under and around solar panels to help sustain soils and farming activity. These options allow renewable energy generation and agricultural to co-exist at a site. To be successful in NYS, agrivoltaics will need to align with current or projected demand for agricultural commodities namely dairy and livestock forage, corn, soy beans, and other types of crops, assuring NYS products can be cultivated along with solar energy.
While there are a growing number of agrivoltaic projects across the country, to date there are few demonstrations at commercial scale where the costs, benefits, and the effects on farmers and communities are well documented. As a result, there is a lack of knowledge about the long-term success of these projects or how they can be replicated across NYS. This solicitation aims to support a broader understanding of the costs, benefits, opportunities, and market potential for agrivoltaics in NYS by funding agrivoltaic demonstration projects across a range of solar project designs and agricultural commodities. For reference, according to the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Northeastern States’ Ranking in the Nation’s Agriculture 2020 as shown in Table 1 below, New York ranks high nationwide for several agricultural commodities. In addition to “crops, livestock, and livestock products” as outlined in the definition section, Proposers may include other crops, such as cannabis, provided they will be grown at a duly-licensed facility.
Sign Up 
