Distributed Energy Infrastructure (DEI), a solar and energy storage engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) firm, has joined the board of the Solar and Farming Association (SAFA) as a founding member. DEI is part of the first group of companies launching the trade association, which supports farmer-centered dual-use solar and agriculture projects.
SAFA was formed to promote solar + farming, also known as agrivoltaics, as a model that allows agricultural land to remain productive while generating additional revenue for farmers. The association emphasizes project designs that prioritize farmers’ operational needs, soil protection, and long-term land stewardship.
SAFA’s mission is centered on ensuring that solar developers recognize the responsibility of working on active farmland. Solar + farming projects are intended to provide diversified income streams for farmers while maintaining agricultural production, contributing tax revenue to local governments, and supporting rural economies.
As a founding board member, Distributed Energy Infrastructure brings experience working directly with farmers, managing construction on sensitive agricultural land, and incorporating soil protection measures into project design and execution.
“Dual-use solar + farming only works if farmers are true partners in the process,” said Sean Harrington, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Distributed Energy Infrastructure. “That means allowing farmers to control what happens to their land, designing projects that protect soil, and creating reliable additional income that allows families to keep farming.”
DEI highlighted its Black Cat and Ring Road projects, which are located above cranberry bogs that had remained uncultivated until construction began in 2023. The company worked with landowner Iain Ward, a SAFA member, to protect and restore the bog environment before, during, and after construction. In 2025, the bogs recorded their first successful harvest in several years.
“The DEI team was eager to learn about the agricultural nuances of growing specialty crops and incorporate those nuances into construction,” said Ward. “From the very beginning, they asked questions to find out what it took for my farming operations to remain successful.”
DEI plans to support SAFA’s policy engagement efforts at the state and regional levels, particularly in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast, focusing on energy resilience and economic stability in farming communities.
“Distributed’s dedication to SAFA’s mission reflects a clear understanding that solar + farming must be done right,” said Lucy Bullock-Sieger, Chair of the Solar and Farming Association. “Their project experience and farmer-first mindset will be valuable as SAFA advances dual-use policies nationwide.”
“By working alongside farmers, policymakers, and SAFA, we can help ensure these projects support both rural energy needs and the future of agriculture,” Harrington said.
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