American Farmland Trust (AFT) and Sol Systems have launched a new initiative to integrate solar energy production with sustainable agriculture. The project, located at Sol Systems’ Eldorado Phase II project in Illinois, will grow Kernza, a perennial grain developed by The Land Institute, under solar panels. The goal is to demonstrate the viability of Kernza grown under solar panels and show how American farmland can support both clean energy generation and commercial crop production. The project aims to provide valuable data on the feasibility and benefits of cultivating perennial crops like Kernza alongside solar energy production. The four-year project will involve planting, managing, and harvesting the Kernza crop, collecting data on grain and forage production, and analyzing the results to inform future agrivoltaics projects. The partners hope to promote sustainable agriculture and clean energy integration, and to benefit local communities by creating a model that aligns with AFT’s Smart Solar principles.
American Farmland Trust and Sol Systems unite to pioneer a sustainable agricultural breakthrough in the Midwest, combining innovative agrivoltaics with Kernza perennial grain.
