Cornell University in Ithaca is conducting a series of studies to test how crops grow when planted between rows of solar panels on a solar farm in New York state. The research aims to provide data to help farmers and policymakers evaluate dual land use at utility-scale solar farms, which in New York cover roughly 9,300 acres.

In the first study, published on July 29 in Environmental Research Food Systems, researchers planted radishes and radicchio during the fall of 2024. The study provided useful insights into the limitations of fall planting under the shade and conditions created by the solar panels.

This spring, the research team expanded their experiments to include strawberries, raspberries, winter wheat, soybeans, zucchini, peppers, chard, and dry beans. Early results from these new trials are showing promise.

Matt Sturchio, a postdoctoral associate in the Department of Natural Resources and the Environment in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Cornell, said the work is essential to finding solutions that combine the needs of agriculture with solar development. The goal is to maximize land use efficiency while supporting New York’s strong agricultural legacy.

Source: Cornell University

Source Type: College

Source Location: Ithaca

Ithaca, NY

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