Prairie-Voltaics: Harnessing Solar Power and Agriculture to Revitalize Rural Economies

By Saxon Metzger, MBA July 2, 2025

Native prairie grows beneath solar panels at the Aurora Solar Project in Minnesota. @ Dennis Schroeder, NREL

Agrivoltaics – co-locating solar panels with agriculture or ecological restoration – has won traction within the last decade, offering a win-win for developers and communities by allowing energy production and farming to work hand in hand.¹

Yet prairie ecosystems, despite stretching far beyond the Great Plains into states from California to Illinois, are not always highlighted as key opportunities for this trend. Prairie environments function as effective water management systems for some of America’s most iconic species, like bison and bald eagles, serving as a key driver of regional tourism, and they are also responsible for soil health and crop yields.

Research on agrivoltaic and similar prairie-voltaic (adding solar to prairie land) projects is promising. Whether over traditional farming operations in non-prairie environments or for prairie-specific designs, shading from solar panels can reduce plant heat stress and retain soil moisture. One U.S. study found that cherry tomato yields doubled under solar panels, with 65% higher water-use efficiency compared to open-sun cultivation.²

Representation of the extent of prairie and grassland coverage in North America.

Representation of the extent of prairie and grassland coverage in North America. © Joe DelNero, NREL

Cooler microclimates under panels mean less evaporation – preserving soil moisture for longer, and requiring less irrigation.¹ In semi-arid grassland trials, even a sudden and significant 38% reduction in sunlight due to solar cover had minimal impact on plant productivity, as vegetation quickly adapted to the partial shade.³ These findings show that prairie-voltaics boost land productivity and conserve water, turning harsh sun into an asset, allowing more consistent prairie agricultural operations, and creating electricity.

Biodiversity Blooms Under Solar Panels

Solar farms clearly don’t have to be barren fields; they can host vibrant ecosystems right in the heart of the prairie. Research in Minnesota demonstrated that it’s possible to re-establish native prairie plants under solar arrays, yielding ecological benefits.⁴ Restored prairie solar sites supported pollinators as robustly as dedicated conservation lands: plant and insect abundance and diversity increased significantly once native wildflowers and grasses were planted.⁴

Over several years, these “little prairies” under the panels saw native plant cover and pollinator visits steadily rise.⁴ NREL’s six-year study at three commercial solar farms recorded a 5- to 8-fold increase in native plant species beneath the arrays.⁵ Soil health also improved – soil under the panels had higher nutrient levels and organic content than adjacent tilled land exposed to full sun.⁴

Research infographic summarizing how planting native prairie beneath solar panels improves soil nutrients, increases pollinator visits, and expands plant cover over time, all without harming energy output.

Crucially, long-term monitoring showed that reestablishing prairie takes patience: it required 3–4 years for prairie vegetation to fully take hold after construction (with certain species only appearing in years 5–6).⁴ Once matured, these solar-prairie habitats can also aid nearby farms. By providing habitat for bees and butterflies, solar sites can enhance pollination of neighboring crops, potentially boosting yields on those lands.⁴

In short, prairievoltaics turns underutilized space into a biodiversity haven – prairie flowers, insects, birds, and other wildlife can thrive alongside solar panels, rather than being displaced.

Grazing and Agriculture Under Arrays

Prairie-voltaics isn’t limited to plants – it can integrate livestock grazing as well. Many solar farms now partner with local farmers to graze sheep (and sometimes cattle) on the grass growing under and around panels.

Cows leisurely graze beneath a solar array, using the installation as both a source of shade and sustainable fodder production in a prairie-voltaic farm.

Cows leisurely graze beneath a solar array, using the installation as both a source of shade and sustainable fodder production in a prairie-voltaic farm. © Joe DelNero, NREL

This “solar grazing” yields mutual benefits: the animals get forage, and the solar operator gets natural lawnmowers. Using sheep for vegetation management has been shown to dramatically cut maintenance costs. One utility reported paying $250–$750 per acre for sheep grazing – a 75% cost savings compared to traditional mowing.⁶ Major solar companies with sheep programs across dozens of sites have seen notable reductions in annual operating costs from these practices.⁶

For farmers, it’s a new income stream (grazing leases or contracts) and additional pasture without needing to buy land.¹ Grazing also reduces wildfire risk and direct and indirect costs of land management.

Importantly, the animals themselves benefit: in summer, solar panels provide much-needed shade in open prairie pastures. Research in Minnesota found that dairy cows with access to solar-panel shade had afternoon body temperatures about 1°F lower than unshaded cows, and their respiratory rates dropped from 78 to 66 breaths per minute in the heat.1 This indicates less heat stress, which can translate to better animal health and potentially improved weight gain and milk production.

Overall, integrating grazing makes solar farms more akin to multi-use rangeland, supporting agricultural livelihoods and animal welfare alongside energy production.

Dual-Use Efficiency and Economics

By stacking functions, prairie-voltaics improves the land-use efficiency of this key ecosystem. Even on prime farmland, a well-designed solar-agriculture system can continue to generate farm revenue while producing power. Studies estimate that combining solar with farming or pollinator habitat can raise the total productivity of land well above what either use would achieve alone. Solar panels also add electrical infrastructure to rural communities to support emergency response and land management efforts key to wildfire risk reduction.¹

Analysis in dryland regions showed that certain crops yielded 2–3 times more produce under PV panels during hot summers (thanks to reduced heat and water evaporation, lowering plant stress). While such dramatic gains vary by crop and climate, many cool-season or shade-tolerant crops experience higher yields or quality under partial shade, all while the same acres yield electricity.¹

The economic implications are compelling. Farmers hosting prairie-voltaics can diversify their income without abandoning agriculture – leasing land for solar, cutting their energy bills, and/or earning fees for grazing or apiary placement. For solar developers, co-location can streamline project permitting and community acceptance. One survey in the U.S. Midwest found 81.8% of residents were more likely to support a solar project if it also produced agricultural benefits.⁶

Likewise, policies in several states (e.g., pollinator-friendly solar farm scorecards) incentivize designs that restore soil and habitat, which can ease the approval process. In dollar terms the synergy is huge: a Department of Energy study estimated that solar built near pollinator-dependent crops over about 1.1 million hectares could provide $1.5–3.2 billion in combined benefits to energy producers and farmers (by improving crop yields and reducing management costs).⁷

In essence, dual-use solar makes economic sense – the land works harder and better; both food and energy outputs grow. This integrated approach can help prairie communities see solar not as competition for farmland, but as an ally that bolsters rural economies.

Prairie-Specific Challenges and Considerations

Deploying solar in prairie ecosystems comes with unique challenges and planning considerations. Prairies often feature fertile farmland or remnant native grasslands, but there is often local resistance to converting land for solar use.

In the American Midwest, for instance, residents have opposed projects that would temporarily take hundreds of acres of cropland out of production.8 They worry about industrializing prime agricultural land and losing farm-related jobs and outputs. Prairie-voltaic designs directly address these concerns by ensuring the land continues to provide agricultural or ecological value.

As one Iowa farmer involved in a solar project noted, planting the site with prairie grasses and wildflowers effectively lets the soil “rest and rejuvenate for 35 years”, building up organic matter and fertility for future generations.⁸ Still, careful site selection and management are crucial.

Truly undisturbed native prairie remnants are rare and ecologically precious – stakeholders often stress that those should be preserved or used only if the project includes robust restoration plans. Indeed, some see an opportunity: using solar installations to restore degraded prairie land.

In California, a 160 MW project on a former nuclear site is doubling as a prairie restoration pilot, to help recover some of the 98% of California’s native prairie habitat that has been lost.9 Such projects require collaboration with ecologists and native plant experts, as well as a willingness to invest time in establishing deep-rooted perennials.

Land-use policy can pose hurdles or add safeguards. Many jurisdictions mandate vegetation management plans. For example, Minnesota encourages pollinator-friendly seed mixes under solar arrays, and some areas require that topsoil not be degraded so the site can revert to farming later.8 Planners must consider panel height and spacing too – raising panels higher (or using wide row spacing) allows farm machinery or tall grasses underneath, but can increase costs.⁶

Finally, long-term maintenance and conflict resolution are considerations: e.g., controlling invasive weeds in a prairie solar meadow, protecting panels from large wildlife, or coordinating grazing schedules. None of these challenges is insurmountable, but they require that solar developers adopt a mindset of land stewardship in addition to energy production.

With thoughtful planning, prairie solar farms can avoid land-use conflicts by blending in with the rural landscape, acting as prairie restorations or pastureland, rather than simply covering productive ground with infrastructure.

Conclusion: A New Paradigm for Prairie Land Use

Real-world pilot projects and research trials across the Great Plains and prairie regions are validating that solar panels need not displace agriculture or ecosystems – they can enrich them.

Agrivoltaics in prairie ecosystems has demonstrated concrete ecological gains (improved soil moisture and health, greater biodiversity of plants and pollinators, habitat for wildlife) alongside economic benefits (additional farm income, reduced solar maintenance costs, sustained or improved agricultural yields). These dual-use projects turn solar development from a land competitor into a land enhancer.

Instead of the monoculture of gravel or turf grass, solar farms can host native flowers buzzing with pollinators and livestock trimming the grass. They can recharge soils that were depleted by intensive row-cropping, regenerating soil health, and preventing erosion. Early data even suggests nearby crop farms may see higher yields thanks to the pollinator boost – illustrating the wider landscape benefit of prairie-voltaics.⁴

Moving forward, scaling up prairie-voltaics will require continuing to refine best practices for different prairie climates and community needs. Researchers are developing tools like pollinator-friendly seed mix guides and cost-benefit calculators specific to solar-agriculture systems.9 With 5.7 million acres of land potentially needed to meet U.S. solar goals by 2035 the stakes are high for getting dual-use right.⁹

The evidence so far is encouraging: prairie solar installations can be more than power plants – they can be pollinator sanctuaries, grazing pastures, and springboards for prairie restoration. Embracing prairie-voltaics offers a path to unite stakeholders who might otherwise clash over land use, creating projects that harvest sunshine while cultivating the ecological and economic vitality of prairie landscapes.

About the Author
Saxon Metzger, MBA (Osage Nation): The President of Eighth Generation Consulting, Metzger specializes in full lifecycle solar and storage installations. Eighth Generation delivers full turnkey project installation, operations and maintenance, and decommissioning, along with grant writing and consulting services. A member of ASES, Metzger teaches graduate-level sustainable business and economics courses at Wilmington University.

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