Solar Panel Shade Cuts Fall Crop Yields in Study

Cornell researchers found panel shading nearly halved plant biomass for fall radishes and radicchio planted near Albany.

Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in Organic Food

Bold vector editorial illustration of dark solar panels shading a strip of leafy crops, with open field beyond and a single radish root in the foreground. — Cornell researchers found solar panel shading cut fall radish and radicchio biomass nearly in half in a 2024 study near Albany. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Should solar farms share farmland with crops, even if yields drop?

Researchers at Cornell planted radish and radicchio crops between rows of solar panels in fall 2024, finding that panel shading reduced light reaching the plants by approximately 25% and cut total plant biomass by nearly half. The findings were published in Environmental Research: Food Systems in 2025.

Why it matters

The results highlight a tradeoff for farmers pursuing dual-use agrivoltaics in New York State, which hosts over 9,000 acres of solar installations. Understanding how shading affects crops could shape planting and layout decisions as the practice expands.

Cornell's field study recorded a roughly 25% drop in light and a near-halving of total plant biomass under panel shading for fall crops. Researchers are still testing whether spring and summer crops tolerate shade better.

The players

Cornell University

A private Ivy League research university in Ithaca, New York, whose researchers conducted the agrivoltaic crop study.

The details

Radishes were the most affected by reduced light, diverting energy toward leaves and storing less in their roots, while radicchio was slightly less affected. Researchers suggest planting earlier, harvesting later, and spreading panels farther apart to let more light through.

Fall 2024: Radish and radicchio crops planted between solar panel rows near Albany.
2025: Cornell study published in Environmental Research: Food Systems.
Since 2020: U.S. agrivoltaic land use more than doubled.

Season Trajectory

The Cornell study adds a seasonal caveat to the rapid expansion of dual-use solar farming, which has more than doubled in U.S. agrivoltaic land since 2020. Its findings suggest the crop choices and timing that succeed under panels may differ sharply by season.

Farmers considering crops between solar panels should weigh the shading tradeoff, since fall radishes and radicchio lost substantial growth in the study. Researchers suggest earlier planting, later harvesting, and wider panel spacing as ways to recover some light.

The takeaway

Dual-use solar farming can work for some crops, but shade tolerance varies by crop and season. Choosing planting windows and panel spacing with light availability in mind can help protect yields.