The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority announced today that $5 million is now available demonstration projects where solar energy locations and agricultural activities are placed side by side in New York State. Through the Environmental Research Program, this funding will support researchers, solar developers, farmers, nonprofits and local governments interested in demonstrating the use of the same land for renewable energy generation from solar panels and active agriculture, including also called agrivoltaic energy. Today’s announcement supports the Climate Action Council Scoping Plan framework for how New York will reduce greenhouse gas emissions and achieve net-zero emissions, and ensure that all communities benefit equally from the clean transition energy.
“Integrating agricultural operations and clean energy sites is important to understanding the costs, benefits and market potential of locating two essential industries in the same space,” said Doreen M. Harris, president and CEO of NYSERDA. “We look forward to creating new public-private partnerships that can provide economic and agricultural data to demonstrate the feasibility of co-locating solar energy and agriculture to inform a future that meets priorities at the New York State’s Clean Energy and Land Use Area.”
Through this $5 million competitive solicitation, NYSERDA will accept proposals to support individual agrivoltaic projects integrating both new and renewed solar and agricultural activities, such as those involving livestock grazing, forage or specialty crop production, with up to $750,000 per project. Researchers, solar developers, farmers, nonprofits and local governments are eligible to submit proposals that include solar site design, marketable agricultural commodities, estimates of projected agricultural production and solar energy generation. Applications will be accepted until September 12, 2024, 3:00 PM NYSERDA’s portal.
NYSERDA and the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets (AGM) worked closely to develop this request and will review the results of participating projects. Data collected from select projects will be shared with farmers, solar developers and other stakeholders so that successful projects can be replicated elsewhere in New York State. The selected projects will also need to share data on costs, benefits and lessons learned, in addition to organizing educational events open to the public to raise awareness about designing and operating solar energy sites that integrate agricultural production.
Today’s announcement demonstrates New York State’s commitment to developing information and tools that support decision-making in communities and engage property owners considering co-use opportunities for agriculture and renewable energy generation. Both the New York State Farmland Protection Working Group, overseen by AGM, and the Climate Action Council have recommended that the state study on the shared use of land for renewable energy generation and agricultural production and larger ground-mounted solar projects should maximize the potential have to play an important role in meeting New York State’s future energy and emissions reduction needs.
Funding for this initiative is through the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative. More information about this financing is available on the NYSERDA website.
News release from NYSERDA
