InSPIRE/ASTRO

From Open Energy Information

Agriculture and Solar Together: Research Opportunities

The Agriculture and Solar Together: Research Opportunities (ASTRO) advisory group members come from across the United States and represent leading solar industry partners, state agencies, and other organizations focused on research, food and agricultural, and the environment. The ASTRO members provide feedback to InSPIRE performers on research directions and study designs, while also facilitating dissemination of results to relevant stakeholders. Additionally, they help ensure the InSPIRE research activities are meeting the most pressing needs of industry and state agencies.

To learn more about ASTRO or to join a quarterly call, please reach out at (astro@nrel.gov).

ASTRO Seed Grants

The ASTRO Seed Grants are small financial grants to catalyze and support novel agrivoltaics research, expanding the potential economic, social, agricultural, and environmental benefits of agrivoltaics to more people and places, implemented according to the following three pillars:

  • Providing research and learning opportunities to early-career professionals as well as emerging, first time, and junior researchers including undergraduate, graduate, and advanced high school students playing a supporting role on projects. Combining PV solar with other uses and functions creates opportunities to benefit more people from a diverse set of background and skillsets. We welcome applicants from under-resourced and/or historically marginalized communities. 
  • Address timely issues that require response with research that can be completed and reported on within 6-9 months. Projects need not require full-time effort (e.g. summer internship), and may also be completed in conjunction with unrelated studies or work.
  • Study approaches and outputs that will advance the field of agrivoltaic research and deployment.

Download the ASTRO Seed Grant Proposal here.

A photo of a group of people standing in a field with solar panels.
ASTRO members provide feedback to InSPIRE performers on research directions and study designs, while also facilitating dissemination of results to relevant stakeholders.


Partial List of ASTRO Members