Author Bio

Alan Bailey joined AFT as the Midwest Solar Specialist in November 2023, bringing more than 25 years of agricultural experience to the Midwest team. Based in Springfield, Illinois, Alan leads the implementation of AFT’s Smart Solar strategy at the intersection of solar energy production and farmland conservation. Throughout his career in Central Illinois, Alan has gained extensive expertise across various facets of agriculture, including row-crop farming, agricultural input sales, custom conservation seeding, and distributed solar sales. His enduring commitment to conservation is evident in both his professional and volunteer endeavors. Alan currently serves as chairperson of the Lake Springfield Watershed Resource Group, where he collaborates with community members and stakeholders to improve water quality and reduce soil erosion. Alan’s leadership and deep-rooted passion for sustainable agriculture continue to drive positive change across the Midwest. Presentation: The 5 W's of Agrivoltaics, American Farmland Trust developed its Smart Solar Principles to guide solar development in a way that is farmer/landowner focused, protects our valuable soils and can continue to support our farmers and rural communities. Agrivoltaics is an emerging production system, where agricultural products are grown underneath or in between rows of solar panels, offering potential business opportunities, increased land access and crop diversity. Alan will discuss current research across the Midwest, potential crops, challenges to implementation, and how AFT is working to expand the adoption of agrivoltaics with solar developers.