Washington Study Finds Apple Orchards Prime Candidates for Solar

State’s first comprehensive agrivoltaics assessment identifies 87,000 acres suitable for dual-use development, with apple production emerging as top prospect

Washington State could significantly advance its renewable energy goals while supporting agriculture through “agrivoltaics”—solar installations that allow farming to continue beneath panels—according to a sweeping new analysis released by The Nature Conservancy and partners.

The study, titled “Low hanging fruit for Washington’s energy future? Agrivoltaic feasibility for agricultural and energy resilience in the Evergreen State,” was led by Dr. Max Lambert of The Nature Conservancy along with researchers from American Farmland Trust, University of California Santa Barbara, and Washington State University. The 144-page report, commiss