Air + Emissions + Agriculture

Agricultural land can move from emissions emitting to emissions mitigating.

Solargation® combines solar generation, fixed-set irrigation, and active farming on the same land so farms can keep producing food while the energy system avoids greenhouse gas emissions.

View the benefit Bottom line

Emission mitigation on working land

Solargation® keeps the farm use in place while adding a major avoided-emissions benefit.

The simple emissions story is that the land remains productive, but the solar generation can avoid far more greenhouse gas emissions than the land typically emits through direct agricultural activity.

Emissions avoided from 1 MW of Solargation®

~1,900–1,960tCO₂e avoided per MW-year

Based on approximately 2,000 MWh/year per 1 MW using a 7-acre planning rate, with Solargation® supporting irrigation and displacing higher-emission power sources.

Residual lifecycle emissions

~40–100

tCO₂e/year estimated residual lifecycle emissions, which are small compared with the emissions avoided.

Typical 7-acre cropland

~5–6

tCO₂e/year of direct agricultural emissions.

Typical 7-acre cattle pasture

~5–12

tCO₂e/year of direct agricultural emissions.

Relative benefit

160–390×

more avoided emissions than the same land’s typical direct annual agricultural emissions.

How the benefit works

The farm is not replaced. It is upgraded into a dual-use emissions solution.

Keep production

Land remains in active agricultural use with crops, pasture, irrigation, and farmer access planned around the solar layout.

Add clean generation

Solar generation on the same land avoids emissions from fossil-fuel generation and supports farm energy resilience.

Improve irrigation

The integrated irrigation platform can reduce reliance on diesel or grid-powered pumping while supporting agricultural productivity.

Additional displacement benefit

The avoided emissions depend on what power source is displaced.

When 1 MW of solar generation displaces higher-emission electricity, the annual avoided emissions can be substantial.

Oil generator

~2,230 tCO₂/year

Coal generator

~2,100 tCO₂/year

Natural gas

~870 tCO₂/year

Average U.S. grid

~750 tCO₂e/year

Bottom line: Solargation® turns working farms into emissions-mitigating land.

By combining solar generation, irrigation, and farming on the same acreage, Solargation® can avoid nearly 2,000 tCO₂e per MW-year while helping keep food production in place.

Sources and methodology

Simple assumptions, transparent comparison.

Sources: FAO & IRENA Renewable Energy for Agri-food Systems; FAO Solar-Powered Irrigation Systems practice brief; IEA PVPS agrivoltaics materials; NREL utility-scale solar land-use analysis; USDA/ERS and EPA-based agricultural emissions comparisons.

Planning assumptions: 1 MW of Solargation® on approximately 7 acres; approximately 2,000 MWh/year per MW; emissions avoided vary with displaced electricity source and local grid conditions.

Solargation emissions benefit infographic