The Benefits of Agriculture & Solar in New York 

As conversations about solar on farmland pick up in Upstate New York, Rebekah Pierce joins the Good Energy podcast to tell her story as a farmer who has benefitted from solar in her Clinton County community.

Pierce and her husband are first-generation family farmers in upstate New York. Struggling to acquire land at prices they could afford, they discovered solar grazing as a way to provide their sheep with extra grazing land. Through the payments she receives from the solar projects where her sheep graze, Pierce now has a financial buffer as other aspects of farming, especially input costs, continue to grow and threaten bottom lines.

Pierce describes how her mindset on solar grazing changed from one where solar panels are “in the way,” to one where the panel’s shade provides benefits for her livestock and the plants that grow underneath them. She notes how during a recent drought, the vegetation directly underneath solar panels was less affected, helping retain moisture. Meanwhile, the frost protection provided during the cooler months have allowed Pierce to extend her growing season by several weeks.

She walks through how farmers approach a solar project, emphasizing that it is ultimately the right of the existing landowner whether or not to sell or lease to a project developer. Furthermore, leasing land for solar is one of only a few ways that family farmers can earn income off leasing their land without fully taking away the farming opportunity from their children and grandchildren. She challenges the ongoing conversations around agricultural land use to focus just as much on the welfare of the farmers themselves, arguing that land stewardship means nothing if there is nobody willing and economically able to take care of the land in the first place.

About Good Energy

From in-depth interviews with industry leaders to insightful discussions on the rapid growth of solar and storage in the United States, Good Energy connects you with the heartbeat of the solar industry. Whether you’re a seasoned professional or just curious about the future of energy, tune in to stay informed and inspired about the bright future of solar. Listen to full episodes on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts.