Crops & Vegetation

Hudson Valley Lab has established a research orchard block to assess the impact of shade from agrivoltaics on orchard establishment and growth of young trees in a high density apple orchard.  

Plans are being developed for a larger 300kW solar array to be placed above high density apple orchard to study the impacts on tree vigor, fruit yield, and horticulture applications such as hail and frost protection, heat and drought stress and sunburn.

two people in yellow jackets plant crops in between solar arrays — Cornell researchers are planting crops under a working solar array in the state Capital District area.

Cornell researchers are planting crops under a working solar array in the Capital District area as part of the first of several planned yearly trials to generate the type of information growers and solar developers need - yield and agronomic data to ensure that farmers can plant crops in real-world agrivoltaics situations with a better understanding of economic constraints and opportunities, and crop needs under and in between solar arrays.