Two cranberry farms in Massachusetts began leasing 10‑foot‑high solar panels over their bogs on May 15, 2024. The panels sit above the vines, allowing tractors and harvesters to move underneath without interference. The arrangement lets farmers keep growing cranberries while generating electricity.
Agrivoltaics, the practice of combining solar power with agriculture, keeps enough sunlight through the wide gaps between panels so the cranberry vines receive sufficient light. The elevated panels also reduce heat stress on the vines by lowering soil temperature during heatwaves, according to early field observations.
Under the lease agreements, developers pay farmers fixed annual fees for the right to install panels and send power to the grid. The predictable income has enabled the owners to remove weeds, repair irrigation channels, and plant new vines. By earning from both the lease and berry sales, the farms now have two revenue streams.
Massachusetts’ Solar Massachusetts Renewable Target program backs such projects with extra payments per kilowatt‑hour and strict rules on panel height and light penetration. These incentives help maintain agricultural production while expanding renewable energy supply.
The success in Plymouth and Barnstable counties feeds a broader Northeastern trend of agrivoltaics on livestock pastures, vegetable fields and berry farms. Farmers nationwide are looking to replicate the model to balance clean energy goals with food production.