Designing dual-use solar projects for maximum impact

Large solar farms are increasingly sharing land with farming and grazing, an approach called agrivoltaics or dual-use solar. Instead of clearing land for panels alone, developers are planting pollinator-friendly flowers and meadow grass underneath arrays, growing crops between rows, or letting sheep and cattle graze the site. The U.S. Department of Energy now tracks 670 of these dual-use sites nationwide.

The main appeal for landowners is extra income and better land use. Farmers leasing land for solar often use ground that was already hard to farm, and a 2026 industry study found utility-scale solar takes up only 0.07% of prime U.S. farmland, far less than suburban development or golf courses. The shade and shelter from panels can also help crops retain moisture and protect livestock from heat, which may matter more as extreme weather increases. Grazing sheep or cattle under panels can even replace costly mowing, especially on hilly land.

Building these dual-use sites does take extra planning. Projects with crops need irrigation lines mapped carefully and wider spacing between rows of panels. Sites with grazing animals need sturdy fencing, and cattle sites need taller panel supports so the animals can move safely underneath. None of this changes how home solar or rooftop systems work, but it does show a broader shift: solar developers are treating land as something to share with agriculture rather than replace, which could shape how much farmland near you ends up hosting solar arrays in the future.