Key Takeaways
- Distributed Energy Infrastructure (DEI) has joined the board of the Solar and Farming Association (SAFA) as a founding member.
- SAFA advocates for farmer-centered solar and farming (agrivoltaics) projects across rural communities.
- DEI brings experience designing and constructing solar projects on active agricultural land.
- The association focuses on keeping farmland in production while providing long-term income for farmers.
- DEI plans to support SAFA’s policy engagement efforts at state and regional levels.
Distributed Energy Infrastructure Becomes Founding Board Member of SAFA
Distributed Energy Infrastructure (DEI), a solar and energy storage engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) firm, has joined the board of the Solar and Farming Association (SAFA) as a founding member. DEI is part of the first group of companies launching the trade association, which supports farmer-centered dual-use solar and agriculture projects.
SAFA was formed to promote solar + farming, also known as agrivoltaics, as a model that allows agricultural land to remain productive while generating additional revenue for farmers. The association emphasizes project designs that prioritize farmers’ operational needs, soil protection, and long-term land stewardship.
Focus on Farmer-Centered Solar and Agriculture Projects
Supporting Dual-Use Land Management
SAFA’s mission is centered on ensuring that solar developers recognize the responsibility of working on active farmland. Solar + farming projects are intended to provide diversified income streams for farmers while maintaining agricultural production, contributing tax revenue to local governments, and supporting rural economies.
As a founding board member, Distributed Energy Infrastructure brings experience working directly with farmers, managing construction on sensitive agricultural land, and incorporating soil protection measures into project design and execution.
“Dual-use solar + farming only works if farmers are true partners in the process,” said Sean Harrington, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Distributed Energy Infrastructure. “That means allowing farmers to control what happens to their land, designing projects that protect soil, and creating reliable additional income that allows families to keep farming.”
Project Experience Demonstrates Practical Application
Cranberry Farming Under Solar Installations
DEI highlighted its Black Cat and Ring Road projects, which are located above cranberry bogs that had remained uncultivated until construction began in 2023. The company worked with landowner Iain Ward, a SAFA member, to protect and restore the bog environment before, during, and after construction. In 2025, the bogs recorded their first successful harvest in several years.
“The DEI team was eager to learn about the agricultural nuances of growing specialty crops and incorporate those nuances into construction,” said Ward. “From the very beginning, they asked questions to find out what it took for my farming operations to remain successful.”
Policy Engagement and Industry Collaboration
Advancing Agrivoltaics Practices
DEI plans to support SAFA’s policy engagement efforts at the state and regional levels, particularly in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast, focusing on energy resilience and economic stability in farming communities.
“Distributed’s dedication to SAFA’s mission reflects a clear understanding that solar + farming must be done right,” said Lucy Bullock-Sieger, Chair of the Solar and Farming Association. “Their project experience and farmer-first mindset will be valuable as SAFA advances dual-use policies nationwide.”
“By working alongside farmers, policymakers, and SAFA, we can help ensure these projects support both rural energy needs and the future of agriculture,” Harrington said.
