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JSGC Podcast

The Joint State Government Commission (JSGC) is the primary non-partisan public policy and statutory research organization that serves the Pennsylvania General Assembly. We issue reports on a wide variety of public policy topics. Our episodes feature staff discussions highlighting recently released reports. To learn more about us and access full reports, please visit our website: http://jsg.legis.state.pa.us/

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JSGC Podcast

Agrivoltaics: Balancing Energy and Agriculture

July 02, 2025 • JSGC • Episode 46

In this episode, the JSGC podcast crew interview project manager Yvonne Hursh and policy analyst Bryan DeWalt about the emerging practice of agrivoltaics, sometimes called dual-use solar. We discuss how solar panels can be combined with agricultural practices to protect Pennsylvania’s farmland, while increasing its productivity. The contents of this episode are based on "Agrivoltaic Farming in Pennsylvania," released in May of 2025. The full report and summary are available on the JSGC website.

Below are a list of resources to learn more about agrivoltaics:

To learn more, visit this overview from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory and discover best practices with the 5 Cs of agrivoltaics.

More information about grazing animals under solar panels can be found at the American Solar Grazing Association's website.

More about Pennsylvania-based research to grow plants under solar panels can be found at the Temple University’s Ambler Campus.

We also recommend “Understanding and Addressing the Impact of Solar Development on Pennsylvania Farmland” by The Center for Rural Pennsylvania.

Music by Joseph McDade. Visit us at http://jsg.legis.state.pa.us/