Solar projects are often talked about in terms of megawatts and transmission lines. But what really matters is what happens on the ground and in the communities where these projects are built.

That’s why we’re sharing a new video about the Eldorado Solar Project in Saline County, Illinois, and the people helping make it possible.

One of the most exciting parts of this project is the agrivoltaics work happening beneath the panels. In partnership with researchers, community organizations, and local farmers, the site is exploring how agriculture and solar can share the same land, including growing Kernza®, a perennial grain, in partnership with American Farmland Trust and specialty crops in between rows of solar panels, in collaboration with Food Works of Southern Illinois.

Agrivoltaics is still an emerging idea in the U.S., but it has enormous potential. It allows farmland to stay productive while also generating clean electricity, helping rural communities benefit from both agriculture and energy.

Turning that vision into reality requires us to navigate complexity and deliver projects that work for both land and community.

As Dan Shugar, CEO of Nextpower, puts it: “We are thankful for Sol's partnership at Eldorado, showing how agrivoltaics and advanced solar technology can deliver lasting community benefits.”

Projects like Eldorado also show how important partnerships are to getting projects built, from technology providers to construction partners to local leaders.

George Hershman, CEO of SOLV Energy, the project's Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) partner, explains it simply: “Successful projects come together when trust runs both ways – and that’s exactly the relationship we’ve built with Sol Systems.”

And for the local school district, this project represents more opportunities and brighter futures for students. Eldorado Schools Superintendent Cody Cusic says, “It’s not a field of solar panels. It’s a field of opportunity – for our students, community, and county.”

This video is part of our broader effort at Sol to show what responsible solar development looks like in practice and lead the way for others.

Earlier this year we told the story of repurposing a historic mine site into a solar project at Tilden, IL, and what that has meant to the local community.

Last year, we shared a look at community partnerships in Morgan County, IL – the host of our 37MW Prairie Creek Solar Project. This video highlights Sol’s long-term commitment to Lincoln Land Community College, Faith in Place, Morgan County 4-H, and Jacksonville Promise.

Each project is different, but the idea is the same: clean energy projects should strengthen the grid, empower communities, and revitalize land for decades to come.

Clean energy is ultimately about building infrastructure, but we cannot do that without caring for the land, the people, and the places that host these projects for decades. The more we can show how those relationships work, the lessons we’ve learned along the way, the better the future of clean energy will be for all of us.