The SUNRAY for Energy Act would direct the Department of Agriculture to study agrivoltaic systems, where solar energy and farming take place on the same land. The study would examine suitable crops and livestock, effects on farm production and soil, economic potential, risks, and possible changes to federal programs. The department would also establish research and demonstration sites in different regions and develop a five-year plan to support agrivoltaics that do not displace farming. Within one year, it would publish national and regional guidance on protecting soil health and productivity when solar systems are built, operated, or removed from agricultural land. The guidance would be reviewed at least every two years.
Farmers and other agricultural producers could access research, outreach materials, and public guidance about combining agriculture with solar energy and managing agricultural land at solar sites. The bill does not specify individual eligibility for assistance.
The bill authorizes $15 million for each fiscal year from 2027 through 2031 to carry out its agrivoltaic research and demonstration provisions. It does not state a specific cost for the guidance work.
No publicly available information.
No publicly available information.