Can solar energy and ag coexist? August 21 webinar takes up ‘agrivoltaics’
“As renewable energy is an increasingly popular topic at local, state and federal levels, these conversations will inevitably become more frequent.” — Jesse Richardson
By Drew Viguet
National Agricultural Law Center
U of A System Division of Agriculture
Aug. 7, 2024
Fast facts:
- Agrivoltaics topic of free-of-charge webinar
- OSU’s Peggy Kirk Hall, WVU’s Jesse Richardson will present
- Registration is online
(453 words)
(Newsrooms: with art of Hall, Richardson, file art of sheep)
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Does large-scale installation of solar panels on farms make the
land unusable for other purposes?
“Solar energy development is increasing rapidly, which commonly involves large-scale
solar projects on rural and agricultural lands that can take that land out of agricultural
production,” Harrison Pittman, director of the National Agricultural Law Center, said. “Agrivoltaics offers the potential of keeping the land in production while
also using it for solar.”
“Agrivoltaics,” as defined by the U.S. Department of Energy, is agricultural production under or
adjacent to solar panels. This agricultural production can include crop production,
livestock production or pollinator habitats.
In September 2021, the DOE released its Solar Futures Study, which looks at the role of solar in decarbonizing the U.S. electric grid. One finding
from the study is that much land for ground-based solar development is needed to accomplish
this: approximately 0.5 percent of contiguous U.S. surface area. The report notes
that to meet this need, photovoltaic systems, or solar panels, could be installed
on farming or grazing areas.
Key principles of agrivoltaics, including the impact of agrivoltaics on agricultural
production, is the focus of the Aug. 21 NALC webinar, “Can Agriculture and Solar Co-Exist?
Exploring the Promise and Challenge of Agrivoltaics.” The webinar will be presented
by Peggy Kirk Hall, director of The Ohio State University Extension Agricultural and Resource Law Program,
and Jesse Richardson, professor of law and lead land use attorney at West Virginia University College
of Law.
The webinar begins at 11 a.m. Central/Noon Eastern. Registration is free of charge
and available online.
“We’ve seen initiatives and mandates across the country geared toward boosting renewable
energy to meet energy demands,” Hall said. “Solar energy is often a part of those
initiatives, which raises many concerns for producers and communities as well, such
as cost, impact on agricultural production, loss of prime and unique soils, and community
land use goals. The installation of large-scale solar panels can limit that land’s
ability to be used for other agricultural needs, but it doesn’t necessarily have to.”
In 2023, the agrivoltaic market size was valued at $5.5 billion, according to Global Market Insights, and that number
is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of almost 6 percent from 2024
to 2032.
Richardson said that he and Hall will explore agrivoltaics from a variety of angles,
shedding light on its opportunities and challenges.
“As renewable energy is an increasingly popular topic at local, state and federal
levels, these conversations will inevitably become more frequent,” Richardson said.
“We aim to inform the discussion on agrivoltaics, looking at how things are now and
possible impacts for the future.”
All webinars in the NALC Webinar Series are recorded and archived on the NALC website.
For information about the National Agricultural Law Center, visit nationalaglawcenter.org or follow @Nataglaw on X. The National Agricultural Law Center is also on Facebook and LinkedIn.
For updates on agricultural law and policy developments, subscribe free of charge
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agriculture.
About the National Agricultural Law Center
The National Agricultural Law Center serves as the nation’s leading source of agricultural
and food law research and information. The NALC works with producers, state and federal
policymakers, Congressional staffers, attorneys, land grant universities, and many
others to provide objective, nonpartisan agricultural and food law research and information
to the nation’s agricultural community.
The NALC is a unit of the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture and
works in close partnership with the USDA Agricultural Research Service, National Agricultural
Library.
About the Division of Agriculture
The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture’s mission is to strengthen
agriculture, communities, and families by connecting trusted research to the adoption
of best practices. The Division of Agriculture conducts research and extension work
within the nation’s historic land grant education system through the Agricultural
Experiment Station and the Cooperative Extension Service.
The Division of Agriculture is one of 20 entities within the University of Arkansas
System. It has offices in all 75 counties in Arkansas and faculty on five system campuses.
The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture is an equal opportunity/equal
access/affirmative action institution. If you require a reasonable accommodation to
participate or need materials in another format, please contact dviguet@uark.edu as
soon as possible. Dial 711 for Arkansas Relay.
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Media contact:
Drew Viguet
Communications & Special Projects Coordinator
National Agricultural Law Center
dviguet@uark.edu