Agrivoltaics Lease Split & Yield Impact Calculator

Balance the agronomic hit from panel shading with lease income by quantifying per-acre revenue, the lease share a landowner needs to break even, and the impact of yield variability.

Net acres under consideration for dual-use solar.
Annual payment from the solar developer per acre.
Enter negative numbers for projected yield declines.
Market price for the crop (per ton, bushel, etc.).
Defaults to 4 units per acre if blank.
Include fertilizers, labor, and irrigation per acre to net out crop revenue.

Use alongside agronomic studies, soil analysis, and lease counsel before committing acreage to agrivoltaics.

Examples

  • 100 acres, $1,200 lease, 12% yield drop, $180/ton alfalfa, 10 tons/acre, $450 costs ⇒ baseline $135,000 vs. agrivoltaic $233,400, needing 18% of lease to stay whole
  • 40 acres, $850 lease, 5% yield drop, $6.50/bushel crop, 2,200 units/acre, $1,200 costs ⇒ baseline $524,000 vs. agrivoltaic $529,400, 84.12% lease share required

FAQ

How do I convert bushels or tons to revenue?

Multiply your expected yield per acre by the market price per unit and subtract per-acre operating costs for a net revenue baseline.

What if yield improves under panels?

Enter a positive yield change percentage—the calculator will show how much lease revenue becomes upside instead of protection.

Can I include incentive payments?

Add USDA or utility incentive dollars to the lease rate per acre so the combined revenue captures all recurring payments.

Does this handle rotational cropping?

Use a weighted average yield and price across the crop rotation or run separate scenarios for each crop year.

Additional Information

  • Baseline yield defaults to 4 units/acre—replace with your crop’s historical average for a precise read.
  • Operating cost input lets you compare net farm income instead of just gross crop sales.
  • If the breakeven share exceeds 100%, renegotiate the lease rate or reconfigure the array to reduce shading losses.
  • Sensitivity band applies a ±5 percentage-point change to the yield impact so you can test weather or cultivar scenarios.
  • Breakeven percentage reflects how much of the lease payment the landowner must retain after sharing revenue with the developer.

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