Lightstar Renewables Celebrates Successful Launch of New York's First Agrivoltaics Project
Lightstar Renewables Celebrates Successful Launch of New York's First Agrivoltaics Project - New York’s first agrivoltaics project shows how solar and farming can work together. The Plains Road project by Lightstar Renewables powers 466 homes while keeping land productive for hay and vegetables, proving clean energy can strengthen—not replace—local agriculture.
Good News Thursday!
New York just cut the ribbon on its first agrivoltaics project—and it’s a win for both farmers and clean energy.
At DiMartino Farm in Montgomery, Lightstar Renewables launched the Plains Road project, where solar panels are built so tractors can still plant and harvest hay. Two acres are set aside for vegetable farming, and the solar array now powers 466 homes every year. In short, the land keeps producing food in a cultivable way, while also producing clean energy.
Farmers at the ribbon-cutting called it a model that “puts farmers first.” Groups like American Farmland Trust praised it as a real-life example of their Smart Solar principles—where solar strengthens farms instead of replacing them.
And this project is part of a much bigger trend. Earlier this year, Lightstar advanced the largest agrivoltaics project in Illinois (Nesler Road), where solar panels share land with hay and livestock while powering 1,100 homes. Across the country, states like Nevada, Oklahoma, Colorado, and New Jersey are rolling out new pilots and policies to encourage similar projects.
What Plains Road shows is that we don’t have to choose between farmland and solar. With smart design, we can have both. Farmers gain new income streams, rural land stays productive, and communities benefit from reliable, clean power.
Most importantly, projects like this help keep farms viable for the families who run them. They create stability in an industry that’s often unpredictable, and they make it possible for the next generation to see farming not just as a tradition, but as a sustainable way forward.