Michigan State University researchers are studying whether solar energy systems can operate alongside farming without removing land from agricultural production.
Charles Gould, a bioenergy educator with MSU Extension, said farmers could benefit from maintaining production while supporting clean energy development.
“Why put money in the landscaper pocket when you could put it in the farmer pocket and produce food or crops or livestock?” Gould said.
The approach, called agrivoltaics, places solar panels over or between crops and livestock. Some farmers are already exploring the idea as a way to manage vegetation and generate income without taking fields out of use.
Gould works with producers and solar developers across the state who are interested in agrivoltaic setups. He described the concept as “the production of an agricultural product in a solar project.”
Michigan’s first research trial into agrivoltaics is taking place at MSU's Research and Extension Center in Hart. The project, supported by the Michigan Tree Fruit Commission, is focused on growing apples under solar panels. Researchers are studying whether the system can produce viable crops, generate meaningful energy and remain cost-effective.
George Smith, director of MSU AgBioResearch, said the study responds to questions the university has received from farmers and commodity groups about land use and solar expansion.
“Our motivation pursuing this research is in direct response to questions that we're receiving from partners in the agriculture industries in the state of Michigan,” Smith said.
He said that while agrivoltaic systems have been tested in other parts of the world, Michigan’s unique mix of soils, crops and microclimates requires localized study.
“There is certainly a lot of interest statewide in increasing the renewable energy footprint,” Smith said. “Farmland is a finite resource. We can't produce more farmland, but the demands for food production globally are increasing...the key question is, does this have to be an either-or situation? Or can agriculture, commodities, food... be grown effectively, safely under solar panels here in Michigan?”
The MSU team will compare tree growth and yields under the panels to those in a conventional orchard. Smith said the research is designed to help growers decide whether the model makes sense for their own operations.
Gould said solar grazing is one option already gaining attention. In that model, sheep are rotated through solar fields to manage vegetation. Farmers receive income from vegetation contracts while still raising livestock.
“They'll get paid for grazing their animals and they'll be able to sell the lamb to the market,” he said. “Essentially they have two income streams coming into the farm.”
MSU researchers are also evaluating how agrivoltaics could affect soil and water. Gould said shade from panels may help retain moisture and reduce plant stress during hot weather.
The research team is also addressing concerns about food safety and possible soil contamination from solar infrastructure. Some producers have raised questions about debris or chemical leaching when panels are damaged or removed. Smith said MSU researchers are equipped to evaluate those risks.
“We have the opportunity to measure things in soil and other things like that to really assess any food safety issues out there,” Smith said.
Gould said testing so far does not suggest contamination is a widespread issue. He said panels that are properly manufactured and installed have not shown runoff that would threaten soil or crops.
MSU AgBioResearch and MSU Extension plan to use the results to help farmers evaluate whether agrivoltaics is compatible with their goals and land. Smith said the university’s role is to provide data, not promote policy.
“We're not about science for the sake of science and results sitting on the shelf,” he said. “They have to get out to the people who can actually utilize information.”
Gould said he sees growing interest in the model but said that implementation may require changes in how people think about farmland use.
“We need to maybe have a paradigm shift to think that...we're not losing ag land,” he said. “We're retaining ag land, but we're shifting our focus on what is growing there.”
The orchard project is in early stages, and it will take several years before trees reach full productivity. Researchers hope the results can serve as a foundation for future studies involving other commodities and agricultural systems.
