Rutgers Agrivoltaics Study Shows Higher Soybean Yields
Researchers in Upper Deerfield found that growing soybeans under solar panels increased crop productivity during a dry 2024 season.
Updated on Oct. 22, 2026 in Energy
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Rutgers University researchers concluded an agrivoltaics study on November 30, 2024, revealing that soybeans grown beneath solar arrays outperformed crops in control plots. The experiment at the Rutgers Agricultural Research and Extension Centre showed that solar shading helped maintain yields despite low rainfall.
Why it matters
The study suggests that agrivoltaics, or the dual use of land for solar energy and farming, can boost agricultural productivity during periods of extreme heat and drought. By providing partial shade, solar panels may help mitigate water stress for sensitive crops.
Scientists sowed 160,000 soybean seeds per acre on June 11, 2024, utilizing 567 bifacial, 450-watt solar panels with pivot points raised eight feet. The arrays were configured with north-south oriented rows spaced 34 feet apart to optimize light exposure.
The players
Rutgers Agricultural Research and Extension Centre
This facility serves as a primary hub for agricultural research and innovation within New Jersey.
The details
The experiment required additional irrigation after the area received less than two inches of rain between August 1 and the harvest in November. Despite the moisture deficit, the single-panel and double-panel designs produced comparable results, proving significantly more effective than traditional open-air plots.
Timeline
Scientists sowed the AG42XF1 soybeans on 11 June 2024.
The region experienced less than two inches of rain from 1 August 2024 through the end of the season.
The soybean crop was harvested in November 2024.
The Big Picture
The Rutgers Agricultural Research and Extension Centre agrivoltaics study provides essential data that challenges the assumption that shading always restricts crop output. This findings help bridge the gap between energy production and agricultural resilience, potentially unlocking new land management models.
Future adoption of agrivoltaic systems could lead to more stable crop yields and lower grocery price volatility during drought-prone summers. These findings may also influence future land-use policies, allowing farmers to generate clean energy without sacrificing agricultural production.
The takeaway
Agrivoltaic systems offer a dual-purpose solution for land management that can protect crops from extreme environmental stress. Implementing such designs may become increasingly common as farmers seek ways to maintain productivity amid shifting climate patterns.
Further reading
Learn more about local clean power developments in the New Jersey Energy section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Economic Times.
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