Arkansas is trying to solve one of solar energy’s biggest problems using a local rice farm

It’s probably no surprise that California and Texas are two of the states with the most solar panels, as they have a lot of land and plenty of sunshine throughout the year. However, with a new research project in Arkansas, the Diamond State may become well known for its improved solar energy production. The Arkansas research project could help solve the problem some people have with the idea of ​​converting farmland to solar production.

The project is led by the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture. It involves floating 96 solar panels on a tiny segment of a 40-acre rice reservoir near Stuttgart in east-central Arkansas. The experiment takes place at the Rice Research and Extension Center, a research area intended to help Arkansas farmers in rice production. By placing the panels on a body of water, the researchers hope to show that they can generate electricity with solar panels without taking farmland out of production and alleviate some of the concerns associated with installing solar farms.

A solar panel installation of this size is expected to generate around 70 kilowatts of energy, meaning this setup is small. The research team planned to install the panels in May, but Professor Michael Popp, who is leading the research, told BGR that the timeline now calls for installing the panels by the end of 2026. The research remains focused on determining the best operation and maintenance techniques to use for floating solar panels in Arkansas’ climate and weather.

Solar farms are rapidly being installed in the United States, and installations in the second quarter of 2026 exceeded those in the second quarter of 2025 by 45%, according to the Solar Energy Industries Association. However, these installations spark controversy over replacing agricultural land with solar farms. Floating solar farms represent an option for conserving agricultural land.

The idea of ​​using floating solar farms, called floatovoltaics, is not new. Several hundred projects of this type are already installed around the world. In the Netherlands, for example, a floating solar farm has a positive effect on underwater habitats. A research team from Oregon State University and the U.S. Geological Survey studied 11 solar panel installations on reservoirs in six different states, finding that the projects’ effects on the environment and bodies of water varied depending on location. Popp told BGR the team will review the Oregon State study as it gets closer to the actual date of installation of the signs.

In addition to demonstrating the viability of using floating solar panels instead of installing them on farmland, Arkansas researchers will measure the extent to which solar panels can reduce water evaporation by partially covering the surface of reservoirs. Researchers will also measure whether the panels can reduce algae growth on the water by blocking sunlight from reaching the water surface directly.

The Rice Research and Extension Center’s 96 floating solar panels will occupy only about 0.1 acre of a 40-acre reservoir. The researchers plan to place anchors in the reservoir bed to hold in place the buoys that will support the panels during installation. The plan calls for researchers to place 24 additional panels on the reservoir’s seawall.

After installation, Popp said the panels should have a useful life of 30 years. He said the team hopes to have initial research data by mid-2027. With the research area located in the Mississippi Flyway, researchers will also measure whether the floating panels affect migratory birds that use the reservoirs. Geese and ducks tend to winter in Arkansas and begin flying north again in February and March. “We are not installing a very large system but plan to make observations on interactions with wildlife,” Popp told BGR.

A solar energy research project like this is fitting for Arkansas, which is no stranger to solar panel installations. A new solar farm in northeast Arkansas will serve a Google data center in the state, generating nearly 2.5 gigawatts of direct current when completed in 2029. As of this writing, Arkansas has 73 operating solar farms with a total operational capacity of nearly 2.8 gigawatts. Another 103 planned solar farms have been announced, with an expected capacity of more than 21 gigawatts.