N.Y. AGM Law § 151-J — New York Code / Act AGM / Article 11-A / Section 151-J
Agrivoltaics research program
Status: in_force

* § 151-j. Agrivoltaics research program. 1. There is hereby\nestablished the agrivoltaics research program. The purpose of the\nprogram is to develop innovative science-based solutions to facilitate\nthe co-location of crops and photovoltaics while promoting the\nbiodiversity of endemic flora and fauna. In developing the program, the\nNew York state college of agriculture and life sciences, as named\npursuant to section fifty-seven hundred twelve of the education law,\nshall conduct, support, and develop technologies and management\nstrategies, along with verifications systems to facilitate the\nsustainable and resilient co-location of crops and photovoltaics.\n  2. Subject to available appropriations, the program shall consider,\nbut not be limited to, the following: crop varietals and/or livestock\nsuitable for agrivoltaics; siting design considerations and array\ninstallation techniques compatible with agricultural co-location and/or\nbiodiversity conservation; and integration of digital and robotic\ntechnologies. The program shall also concomitantly consider\nsocio-economics in the formation of research trials and published\nrecommendations. The program shall conduct and demonstrate successful\ncropping and/or livestock systems and technologies in pilot locations\nthroughout the state of New York and is hereby authorized to conduct\nsuch research on the state's agricultural experiment stations, and other\nlocations deemed suitable for private and public sector partnerships to\nevaluate, determine, and recommend strategies to enable agrivoltaics.\nThe Cornell Cooperative Extension system shall be utilized for knowledge\ntransfer, and annual reports shall be made and publicly disseminated.\n  3. The program shall include, but not be limited to, research on the\nfollowing topics, consistent with New York state's climate goals:\n  (a) methods to maximize the economic efficiency and scientific\nefficacy of the co-location of agricultural crops and photovoltaics;\n  (b) improvements or enhancements in biodiversity when combined with\nlow-lying or elevated photovoltaic installments;\n  (c) development, testing and deployment of technologies, including\ndigital agriculture systems, small-scale robotics for planting,\nharvesting, and crop management;\n  (d) research that facilitates productive agrivoltaics across several\ndifferent varieties of crops including research that enables\nunderstanding of agrivoltaics effects on soil health, soil carbon\nsequestration, erosion, water management, and specialty crop canopy\nmanagement for enhanced climate resiliency; and\n  (e) research that quantifies total kilowatts produced, rates of crop\nproduction, and greenhouse gas emissions avoided in lieu of fossil fuel\ngeneration.\n  4. Such program shall be funded by appropriations made available in\nchapter fifty-three of the laws of two thousand twenty-three to the New\nYork state college of agriculture and life sciences at Cornell\nuniversity for the purpose of studying the ecological impacts of\nagrivoltaics, and any future appropriation made thereafter for the same\npurpose.\n  * NB Repealed December 31, 2030\n