Today, we joined the dedication of the 342 MW Eldorado Solar Project in Saline County, Illinois—a powerful example of how solar, agriculture, and community can work together at scale. We were proud to support Sol Systems, SOLV Energy, and American Farmland Trust on this landmark AgriPV project.
Eldorado is breaking new ground in agrivoltaics: Kernza, a perennial grain, will be planted and cultivated between tracker rows—marking the first large-scale integration of a row crop within a utility-scale solar facility.
This project demonstrates a simple but critical point: clean energy and agriculture do not need to compete for land. When designed intentionally, they can reinforce one another to deliver value for farmers, local communities, and domestic manufacturing — all Nextracker torque tubes and most major components on this project are made in the United States.
Watch the AgriPV video
This effort builds on earlier agrivoltaics collaboration between Nextracker and Sol Systems, including pilot projects with the University of Illinois Chicago. This research is now being deployed at commercial scale. Eldorado is a blueprint for future projects that integrate crop cultivation and ranching alongside energy production.
What Eldorado delivers for the community
Nearly 48,000 homes powered annually
177 construction jobs—most sourced locally—and $47 million in tax revenue over the life of the project
$1 million annually dedicated to local education, workforce development, and food security programs
Eldorado is not just about megawatts. It is about innovation, land stewardship, and shared prosperity. Projects like this raise the bar for how solar can show up in communities and power what’s next.
Learn more about our AgriPV solutions here.
—Shug
Update (12/1/2025): Nextracker is now Nextpower. Hear CEO Dan Shugar explain the next chapter of our journey, and our complete technology platform, in this video.