Mesh shade cloth covers young apple trees at Cornell's Hudson Valley Research Lab. In 2026 the lab will install an array of solar panels above the trees to power the lab and to help protect the apple crop from extreme weather events like hail and excessive heat. This will be the first agrivoltaic installation above an apple orchard in the U.S.

Source: Cornell Chronicle | $5M grant will fund study of how solar panels can boost crops  |  Photo credit: Margaret Kent | Cornell CALS