Full Breakdown
Minnesota Agrivoltaics Project Merges Farming with Solar Power
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event: Permanent Agrivoltaics Lease at Big Lake Farm
The Big Lake Farm in Big Lake, Minnesota, operates a 1-megawatt solar array surrounded by cultivated rows. Three farmers, including Winifred Sylvah, work the land between and outside the panels under 10-year leases that began after a pilot phase launched in 2023. The partnership involves The Food Group, a Minnesota nonprofit, U.S. Solar, and Conexus Energy.
Background & Context
Agrivoltaics—combining agriculture with photovoltaic generation—has been tested across the Upper Midwest. Iowa State University researchers run a 10-acre solar garden in Ames with yields comparable to conventional plots. In western Minnesota, the University of Minnesota-Morris has maintained a cattle-grazing system beneath a 500-kilowatt array for eight years, noting reduced heat stress for 275 cows. The Big Lake initiative expands the model to vegetable production, addressing land-access challenges faced by new and immigrant farmers.
Data & Statistics
- Solar capacity at Big Lake: 1 MW
- Participating farmers: three
- Harvest to date: ? 140 lb of cucumbers
- Lease term: 10 years
- USDA grant cuts: $300 million
- Iowa State solar garden: 10 acres
- UM-Morris cattle plot: 500 kW, 275 cows
Official Statements & Responses
Food Group Executive Director Sophia Lenarz-Coy said the organization will not pursue federal grants for the next few years because racial equity is central to its mission. The USDA’s budget reduction was described as part of a broader effort to eliminate spending on diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.
Iowa State professor Ajay Nair emphasized that agrivoltaic systems can support commercial production, noting that underground wiring and adequate irrigation allow normal tillage and that agriculture provides solar developers with a “social license to operate.”
Verbatim Quotes
- “I decided to take a chance,” — Winifred Sylvah
- “Any grower can commercially grow their produce within an agrivoltaic system,” — Ajay Nair
- “I think it’s garnered a lot of interest in Minnesota and around the world,” — Brad Heins
Why It Matters
The Big Lake model shows solar farms can coexist with vegetable cultivation, giving emerging farmers stable, long-term land access while generating renewable energy. Fencing installed by solar operators enhances security for both crops and panels, and farmers can quickly report panel damage, fostering cooperative land stewardship. The arrangement also diversifies rural economies.
What’s Next
The three farmers will continue their 10-year leases, expanding crop varieties and refining weed-control methods. Monitoring by The Food Group and partner utilities will track yields and system performance, informing replication of the model elsewhere in the region.