ALL ABOUT AGRIVOLTAICS
What if the same piece of land could be used to grow food and generate electricity at the same time?
Science For Georgia – White Paper | Rachel Gwaltney
August 3, 2026
What if the same piece of land could be used to grow food and generate electricity at the same time? That’s the idea behind agrivoltaics, also known as dual-use solar. Agrivoltaic systems combine solar panels with agricultural activities such as growing crops, grazing livestock, or creating pollinator habitats. Rather than using land exclusively for farming or energy production, these systems allow both uses to occur on the same property.
Interest in agrivoltaics has grown in Georgia as demand for renewable energy increases alongside the state’s strong agricultural economy. Agriculture contributes approximately $70 billion annually to Georgia’s economy and supports nearly 360,000 jobs, making it one of the state’s most important industries. At the same time, solar energy has become Georgia’s largest source of renewable electricity. As of June 2026, Georgia had about 7.6 GWdc installed utility-scale solar capacity, which translates to solar providing about 8% of Georgia’s total electricity generation in 2025.
As of July 2026, Georgia has 12 agrivoltaic projects with a combined capacity of 1.1 GWdc covering approximately 10,300 acres. Most of these projects combine solar panels with sheep grazing, allowing the land to produce electricity and provide needed shade to grazing animals. Although most of these projects cover large areas, common industry estimates assume that around 5 acres of buildable land can produce about one megawatt direct current (MWdc) of solar capacity. For Georgia farmers, this means that converting a portion of their land to agrivoltaics can provide modest income, allow continued agricultural development and prevent farmers from choosing between farming and solar development.
Researchers are studying how solar panels affect agricultural conditions. Solar panels can create shaded areas that alter temperatures and soil moisture levels beneath them. Scientific studies have found that, under some conditions, agrivoltaic systems can improve water-use efficiency by 20-47% and reduce temperatures beneath panels by 1-4°C (1.8-7.2°F). Researchers are continuing to evaluate how these changes affect crop yields, livestock, and farm operations in different climates and agricultural settings. Researchers with the Georgia Climate Project note that more frequent drought conditions, severe weather events, and increasing temperatures are expected to create additional challenges for Georgia’s agricultural sector in the coming decades.
Although Georgia receives around 40-52 inches of rainfall each year, drought remains a recurring challenge. The state has experienced several severe droughts in recent decades, including the 2006-2008 and 2010-2012 droughts, which affected agriculture, water supplies, and wildfire activity. Recent drought conditions have again highlighted the vulnerability of Georgia’s agricultural sector to changing weather patterns.
Environmental conditions can also influence public health. Extreme heat can increase the risk of heat-related illnesses. Agricultural workers and outdoor laborers may be especially vulnerable to exposure to prolonged periods of high temperatures.
Food security is another issue that affects many Georgia communities. According to Feeding America data, approximately 14.9% of Georgians (about 1 in 7 residents) experience food insecurity, including nearly 1 in 5 children. Access to affordable, nutritious food varies across the state, with some rural communities facing particularly high rates of food insecurity. To help combat food insecurity, agrivoltaics is also being examined as a way to improve land-use efficiency. Studies have shown that combining solar energy and agriculture on the same land can help farmers get more value from each acre by creating an extra source of income while still growing crops. Depending on the location and system design, these systems can increase land productivity by 20% to 80%. By potentially helping farmers to add a new revenue stream, agrivoltaics can support more resilient farming systems and contribute to long-term food security.
Although agrivoltaics has many potential benefits, it also has drawbacks. One, agrivoltaic systems often cost significantly more to build than traditional large-scale solar projects. This is because the panels may need to be mounted higher or spaced further apart to allow crops, livestock, or farm equipment to be underneath the structures. Two, not all farmland is suitable for agrivoltaics, since solar projects are generally more practical on land that is close to existing transmission lines or substations. Farms located far from infrastructure may face higher connection costs, making the project less financially feasible. Three, not all crops grow well in partial shade, so careful crop selection is important for success as agrivoltaics cannot be paired with every crop. Finally, managing both a solar energy system and an agricultural operation can be difficult, requiring additional planning, labor, and maintenance.
As Georgia continues to expand its renewable energy capacity while maintaining a strong agricultural sector, agrivoltaics is receiving increasing attention. Ongoing research is examining how these systems affect land use, agricultural productivity, water management, energy generation, ecosystems, and farm economics. While findings vary depending on local conditions, agrivoltaics represents one of several approaches being explored at the intersection of agriculture and energy production.
Read the overview and full white paper here.
