What Crops Grow Best Under Solar Panels?
- Makayla Bishop
- Aug 13
- 6 min read
As solar energy expands across rural America, landowners are discovering that energy generation and traditional agriculture don't have to be mutually exclusive. Enter agrivoltaics, which is the practice of co-locating agricultural production directly beneath and around solar panel arrays.
Combining dual land use creates a dual revenue stream: steady lease payments from solar developers alongside regular farm income. But if you are considering agrivoltaics on your property, a critical question arises: which crops actually grow best under solar panels?
What is Agrivoltaics?
Agrivoltaics (also called dual-use solar) is the practice of using the same parcel of land for both solar energy production and agriculture at the same time. That can mean row crops planted between panel arrays, shade-tolerant vegetables and herbs grown directly underneath elevated panels, livestock grazing among the rows to manage vegetation, or pollinator habitat planted around the perimeter.
The concept of agrivoltaics isn't new. Researchers at institutions like the National Renewable Energy Laboratory and the University of Arizona have studied dual-use solar sites for over a decade, but interest has accelerated as landowners look for ways to diversify income without giving up on farming altogether.
What Crops Grow Best Under Solar Panels?
The best crops to grow under solar panels are leafy greens, root vegetables, herbs, berries, and forage/grazing crops.
Leafy Greens (Lettuce, Spinach, Kale, Swiss Chard): Leafy greens are the strongest-performing category across nearly every agrivoltaic study and working farm. The partial shade provided by solar panels reduces heat stress, prevents early bolting, and retains soil moisture longer.
Root Vegetables (Onions, Garlic, Carrots): Root vegetables, especially onions, perform exceptionally well under solar panels because they benefit from moderate temperatures and lower evaporation rates.
Herbs: Herbs like mint, basil, sage, rosemary, cilantro, and lemon balm are commonly grown under panels and tend to hold their quality and flavor well in diffused light.
Berries: Strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries grow well under solar panels because the shade can help reduce sunburn on fruit and extend the growing season in warmer climates, though strawberries in particular need enough direct light to fruit well.
Forage/Grazing Crops: Clover, alfalfa, brome, and other forage grasses grow well under and between panels and support one of the most common forms of agrivoltaics: solar grazing.
Why Shade from Solar Panels Can Help Some Crops
It sounds counter intuitive, but partial shade isn't automatically bad for plants. Solar panels create a distinct microclimate underneath and around them, and for the right crops, that microclimate can be an advantage. For example, lower soil and air temperature reduces heat stress in the summer, while slower evaporation can cut irrigation needs for shade-tolerant crops. Additionally, the solar panels provide protection from intense weather like wind and hail, which can damage exposed plants.
The tradeoff is that not every crop responds to shade the same way. Sun-loving, high-light crops can see reduced yields under dense solar panel coverage, while shade-tolerant crops tend to hold steady, or even outperform their full-sun counterparts.
What Crops Don’t Grow Well Under Solar Panels?
Tall, full-sun crops like corn and high-light fruiting vegetables such as tomatoes and peppers can still be grown in agrivoltaic systems, but generally need wider row spacing and taller, elevated panels to get enough direct sunlight. Sun-hungry crops requiring maximum daily solar radiation and heavy machinery access can suffer reduced yields or present operational hurdles in typical agrivoltaic layouts. While some varieties manage well, others can experience delayed ripening if shade coverage exceeds 30-40%.
Real-World Results: What’s Working at Jack’s Solar Garden
Some of the most detailed real-world agrivoltaic data in the country comes out of Jack's Solar Garden, a research site in Longmont, Colorado, where crops have been grown underneath a working solar array for several years. In a recent LandApp webinar, Byron Kominek shared firsthand what's worked well on his own farm. Leafy greens topped the list, along with onions, which have performed particularly well in the shaded rows.
Kominek's takeaway for landowners considering agrivoltaics on their own property is a simple one: don't assume a crop that thrives under one solar array will perform the same way on your land. Climate, soil type, panel height, and row spacing all affect outcomes, so it's worth trialing a few crop varieties in your own conditions before committing to a full planting plan.
How to Choose Which Crops to Grow Under Solar Panels
To pick which crops to grow under solar panels on your land, start by tailoring to your local climate. What thrives under solar arrays in Colorado or Arizona might perform differently in Georgia or Ohio. In arid or high-heat regions, solar panel shade protects crops from sun-scorch and conserves water. In cooler or cloudier northern zones, maximizing light transmission under panels is essential. Always assess your region's hardiness zone and average sunlight hours.
Another factor to consider is the panel heights and spacing for equipment. Taller, more widely spaced panels let more light through and make room for equipment, animals, or people to work underneath. If you’re leasing your land for a solar farm or agrivoltaics operation, this includes considering who you’re leasing your land to. Not every solar developer is set up to accommodate agrivoltaic design, so raise it early in lease negotiations if continued farming or grazing matters to you.
Start small. Many successful agrivoltaic operations began as a pilot plot before scaling up. You can test different types of crops on your land underneath the solar panels to see what works best. This crop diversity also protects you from market changes or pests, which can devastate single-crop operations. By staggering harvest cycles and balancing cash crops with shade-tolerant produce, you create a more resilient micro-ecosystem - ensuring consistent farm income even if one crop faces an off-year.
Before deciding what to plant, it helps to understand what your land is actually working with. Every property has its own combination of sun exposure, soil composition, and agricultural classification, and those factors will do more to determine which crops thrive than any general list can. A free LandApp Property Report pulls this together in one place - solar irradiance data to gauge how much direct sunlight your site receives, soil type and composition to see what will actually grow well below the panels, and prime farmland classification to understand how your county and state view the land's agricultural value. Running a report before you plant, or before you lease, gives you a clearer picture of whether your property is a strong fit for agrivoltaics and which crops are worth trialing first.
Lease Your Land for a Solar Farm or Agrivoltaic Use
If you're ready to explore what you could earn by leasing your land for a solar farm or agrivoltaic use, the fastest path is putting it in front of the developers actually looking for it. LandApp lets you list your property for lease for solar or agrivoltaic use for free, with no fees, no commissions, and no obligation to accept any offer that comes in. Listings are enhanced with your property's data, so solar developers can evaluate fit at a glance instead of relying on back-and-forth emails. Once it's live, interested developers and buyers reach out to you directly, so you stay in control of every offer and every next step.
FAQ: Agrivoltaics & Dual-Use Solar
Do solar farms damage farmland?
When planned and managed properly, solar farms don't permanently damage farmland. Soil disturbance during construction is generally limited to panel foundations and access roads, and most solar leases run for a defined term (commonly 20 to 30 years) after which the land is decommissioned and returned to full agricultural use. The developer is responsible for removing the solar panels when the lease is up. Some research has found that soil organic matter and carbon levels actually improve in agrivoltaic installations when the ground is planted with cover crops or managed through grazing rather than left bare.
Will grass grow under solar panels?
Yes. Grass and other low ground cover typically grow well under and between solar panels, since the shade reduces evaporation and helps retain soil moisture. Many solar sites are seeded with grass, clover, or native forage mixes specifically to control erosion and reduce the need for mowing.
Can cows graze under solar panels?
Cattle can graze near solar installations, but their size makes it difficult for them to fit beneath standard ground-mounted panel heights, and there's a risk they could damage wiring or panel structures. Sheep are by far the most common grazing animal used on solar sites, since they're small enough to move freely under and around panels and tend to graze calmly without disturbing equipment. Some newer projects are designing taller, elevated panel systems specifically to accommodate cattle grazing in the future.
How much can I earn leasing land for solar or agrivoltaic use?
Landowners typically earn between $700-2,000 per acre per year when leasing land for solar or agrivoltaic use, but solar lease payments vary widely based on location, proximity to the electrical grid, land characteristics, and demand from developers in your area. Landowners can research their property's solar potential and estimated value with a free LandApp Property Report, or list their land for free on LandApp's marketplace to receive direct offers from solar developers.
