The Large Animal and Solar System Operations (LASSO) Prize is a groundbreaking $8+ million initiative funded by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Solar Energy Technologies Office. This competition promotes innovative projects integrating solar photovoltaic (PV) systems with cattle grazing operations, a practice known as cattle agrivoltaics. By co-locating solar energy infrastructure with cattle grazing, these projects aim to reduce land-use conflicts, preserve agricultural land, enhance landowner and farmer revenues, and improve animal welfare, plant health, and soil conditions. Additionally, cattle agrivoltaics offers a pathway to overcome barriers to solar energy deployment while supporting the economic vitality of rural communities.

The LASSO Prize is open to U.S.-based individuals and organizations, including solar developers, ranchers, farmers, researchers, and local governments. Teams are encouraged to bring together diverse expertise, including hardware and software manufacturers, utilities, historically underserved producers, and universities. To qualify, projects must focus on integrating cattle grazing with solar PV systems, explicitly excluding rooftop solar installations or systems involving other livestock. The program provides two competitive tracks: the Standard Track for new projects and the Operating Projects Track for existing operational systems of at least 250 kW-dc capacity.

The Standard Track is for new projects and progresses through multiple phases. In Phase 1 (Team Formation and Project Planning), teams identify potential sites and draft comprehensive plans for integrating PV systems with cattle grazing. The deadline for Phase 1 submissions is March 6, 2025, at 5:00 PM ET. In Phase 2A (Detailed Planning, Design, and Permitting), teams finalize system designs, secure necessary permits, and address due diligence requirements. Phase 2B (Construction and Initial Operation) involves system construction, operational verification, and cattle integration demonstrations. Finally, in Phase 3 (Data Collection and Analysis), teams collect and report data on energy production, operational outcomes, cattle health, and agricultural impacts over two years, broken into four six-month subphases.

The Operating Projects Track targets existing systems that are fully operational by the Phase 1 deadline. In Phase 1 (Documentation of Existing Projects), teams provide detailed system information and cattle integration documentation. In Phase 2 (Data Collection and Reporting), teams gather and submit multi-year operational data similar to the Standard Track’s Phase 3.

The program also includes two bonus awards. The Largest PV System Bonus Prize recognizes the team with the largest operational cattle agrivoltaics system, while the Data Bounty Bonus Prize rewards the submission of exceptional datasets that exceed competition requirements. These bonuses incentivize innovation and thorough reporting to advance the field further.

Participants must review the official competition rules and guidelines to ensure their submissions meet eligibility criteria and align with the prize’s goals. The competition emphasizes collaboration, innovation, and practical integration of cattle agrivoltaics to achieve measurable benefits in agricultural and energy outcomes. For updates, resources, and assistance in forming teams, participants can access tools on the HeroX platform, subscribe to the American-Made Challenges newsletter, or email the prize administrators at LASSO.Prize@nrel.gov.

The LASSO Prize represents a significant opportunity to innovate in the emerging field of agrivoltaics. By fostering collaboration between the solar energy and agricultural sectors, the program aims to promote sustainable land use, support rural economies, and advance solar energy deployment while addressing the dual challenges of food and energy production.