At the Community Farm at Roundabout Meadows in Virginia, something remarkable has been happening beneath and around rows of solar panels: tomatoes, peppers, and other vegetables have been thriving. It's a quiet revolution that caught the attention of state legislators, and now Virginia has turned that local experiment into statewide policy.
Governor Spanberger signed legislation (SB 340/HB 508) this week that establishes the first comprehensive legal framework for agrivoltaics in the nation—the practice of co-locating solar panels with active crop production on the same land. The move addresses a question that has haunted rural communities for decades: how to keep farms alive when development pressure, rising costs, and economic uncertainty push families toward selling their land forever.
"The topic of agrivoltaics is one that has been top of mind for me for years, because it has always been a question of how is it that we can ensure that our communities—and importantly our farmers—have the ability to keep land in production, but also the option to leverage the technology that can help them offset their on-farm costs and also allow them to be leaders," Governor Spanberger explained at the bill-signing ceremony.
The Piedmont Environmental Council pioneered the approach in Virginia, establishing the nation's first crop-based agrivoltaic system at Roundabout Meadows. While most agrivoltaic projects across the country have focused on sheep grazing—animals that efficiently control vegetation without damaging panels—Virginia's legislation aims to go further, supporting food production for human consumption.
The new law formally defines agrivoltaics as "the intentional co-location of agricultural production and solar energy generation on the same land." But it also sets guardrails to protect farmers. Projects must complement an existing farm business and prioritize agricultural activities—including the sale of products—over the full lifespan of the solar array. Panels typically operate for 25 to 30 years, meaning a formal commitment on that timescale. Systems must also be designed with flexibility, allowing farmers to adapt as markets change.
The economic logic is straightforward. Farmers gain a reliable secondary income stream from energy generation without having to abandon agriculture. They stay on their land, continue growing crops, and avoid the pressure to sell to real estate developers. In an era of volatile fuel and fertilizer costs, that stability can mean the difference between a working farm and a parking lot.
Virginia's approach also seeks to avoid poorly designed projects that could undermine the very farms they intend to help. By setting clear enforceable standards, the state gives farmers a stable platform for making decisions about their land.
The legislation arrived with backing from the Virginia Farm Bureau alongside PEC, suggesting a broad coalition that could serve as a model for other states watching Virginia's experiment. With farmland loss continuing across the country, the hope is that this framework offers a replicable path toward keeping roots in the ground—literally—while harnessing the sun above it.