Cypress Creek Renewables Partners with American Farmland Trust to Pursue Smart Solar Initiatives

DURHAM, NC: Cypress Creek Renewables (Cypress Creek) is pleased to announce its 2025 partnership with American Farmland Trust (AFT) that will help inform and guide the advancement of agrivoltaics for its developing solar projects.

AFT is a national non-profit organization that focuses on protecting farmland, promoting forward-looking farming practices, and keeping farmers on the land. Through their Smart Solar initiative and policy work, the organization aims to safeguard land well-suited to farming and maximize benefits to farmers, their land and communities, while accelerating renewable energy development across the nation.

“We look forward to our partnership with AFT as we continue to adopt agrivoltaics into our business and responsibly develop solar and storage projects that benefit communities across the nation,” Mike Storch, Manager of External Affairs at Cypress Creek Renewables said. “Strong, equitable relationships with farmers, ranchers and communities are vital to advancing America’s energy independence and security while taking into consideration the value of agricultural lands.”

Through this partnership, Cypress Creek will be advised by AFT on their Smart Solar principles, implementation of agrivoltaics, construction best practices, and decommissioning planning for a return to agricultural land use.

“With over 10 million acres of farmland expected to be utilized to meet America’s renewable energy goals, we face an unprecedented challenge—and an incredible opportunity,” said Nathan L’Etoile, AFT’s Farm Viability Managing Director.  “AFT is proud to partner with industry leaders like Cypress Creek Renewables to advance innovative solutions that allow solar development and agriculture to thrive together. Industry support of AFT and Smart Solar principles will help to accelerate solar energy development in ways that benefit farmers, ranchers, and rural communities.”

With the AFT’s guidance, Cypress Creek intends to continue making a positive impact in communities where it develops solar while working toward its mission to build a more sustainable future.

About American Farmland Trust

American Farmland Trust is the only national organization that takes a holistic approach to agriculture, focusing on the land itself, the agricultural practices used on that land, and the farmers and ranchers who do the work. AFT launched the conservation agriculture movement and continues to raise public awareness through our No Farms, No Food message. Since our founding in 1980, AFT has helped permanently protect over 8 million acres of agricultural lands, advanced environmentally-sound farming practices on millions of additional acres and supported thousands of farm families.