Pivot Energy: 95% of Solar Arrays Now Double As Farmland
Denver-based Pivot Energy achieved record milestones in 2025, with 95% of its qualified ground-mounted solar arrays now functioning as dual-use sites for grazing, crops, or pollinator habitat. The expansion—representing 300% growth since 2023—comes despite federal rollbacks to clean-energy tax credits.
Pivot's agrivoltaic model is turning solar farms into working agricultural sites across Northern Colorado's farming communities, supporting rural economies even as national policy shifts threaten renewable energy incentives.
In 2025, Pivot permitted 235 megawatts of solar, reached 4.3 gigawatts across roughly 1,900 projects (1,000 completed; 900 in development), secured $435 million in financing, and distributed nearly $700,000 in donations across Colorado, Illinois, Hawaii, and Maryland supporting workforce development, affordable energy, and agricultural organizations.
"Despite federal policy headwinds, last year's achievements demonstrate our resilience in the face of shifting regulations," said Tom Hunt, CEO at Pivot Energy.
The agrivoltaic expansion reflects broader momentum in Colorado. Colorado State University and the Colorado Department of Agriculture have been researching agrivoltaic methods—using solar arrays alongside grazing, pollinator habitat, and crop production—through grant programs demonstrating that agriculture can coexist under solar arrays.
In Weld County, Pivot's 32-acre La Salle site pairs subsurface drip irrigation between panel rows with crop production. According to The Fence Post, the subsurface drip system is expected to save roughly 33% water while preserving crop production and water rights.
Pivot is developing a 5-megawatt solar project near La Salle to supply the University of Colorado Boulder. A flock of roughly 100 sheep will graze seasonally (April–October) to manage vegetation under the panels.
Seven Pivot community-solar projects deployed in 2022 across Weld, Logan, and Crowley counties total 13 megawatts and attracted more than 1,700 subscribers. Weld County projects in Pivot's portfolio are expected to generate about $1.4 million in property-tax revenue for local schools, according to BizWest.