FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 20, 2025
NC State and Nevados Launch New Agrivoltaics Training Site
Solar training site is the first of its kind in the Southeast
RALEIGH, NC – (November 20, 2025) NC State University and Nevados launched their new Agrivoltaics Training Site yesterday with a celebratory ribbon cutting and a preview of upcoming agrivoltaics training.
The NC State Agrivoltaics Training Site is the first of its kind in the Southeast, where students and solar professionals can learn best practices in agrivoltaics and the installation of cutting-edge solar technology that enables solar installation on steep terrain, broadening opportunities for solar siting globally. Agrivoltaics is the co-location of solar panels and agricultural activities – including food and livestock production – on the same land.
“This new solar training site is a testament to the power of partnership,” said Dr. Chris Frey, Associate Dean for Research & Infrastructure at the College of Engineering. “It is an amazing interdisciplinary collaboration between NC State’s Clean Energy Technology Center, the Department of Animal Science, and Nevados, a manufacturer of solar tracking systems. And it positions NC State as a continuing leader in energy and agricultural education for students and professionals throughout their careers.”
Nevados designs and manufactures innovative solar tracker systems that can be installed on challenging terrain and with minimal ground disturbance, which reduces environmental impacts on the natural landscape. Solar trackers orient solar panels toward the sun to maximize energy capture – moving panels to follow the sun’s path throughout the day.
“The TRACE All Terrain Tracker is remarkably fast to install,” said Yezin Taha, CEO of Nevados. In fact, it is hard for installers to believe how quickly it can be constructed until they get their hands on the equipment. So, we thought, ‘why not create a space where new customers can experience that for themselves?’ Our new training center at NC State gives developers, EPCs, and installers a hands-on ‘sandbox’ to learn our system in a real-world environment, right in the heart of a region where many of our customers are based so they can quickly and easily travel to the site. What makes this even more exciting is partnering with NC State — a leader in energy innovation and agrivoltaics research — to advance the next generation of solar deployment.”
The training site, including three rows of Nevados’ TRACE All Terrain Tracker system and three types of solar modules, will be used for agrivoltaics education, especially solar grazing, and solar technician training through the NC Clean Energy Technology Center, Nevados, and the Department of Animal Science.
“Students and solar professionals will have unique, hands-on learning opportunities in a real-world environment, thanks to the generous donations of equipment and labor from our project partners,” said Steve Kalland, Executive Director of the NC Clean Energy Technology Center. “These donations total more than $100,000 and include Nevados’ solar tracking system, solar modules from Boviet Solar and installation services from CF Solar.”
Yesterday’s launch included a preview of the University’s new agrivoltaics training, Agrivoltaics in Action: Enhancing Operations and Maintenance in Livestock-Integrated Solar Sites. This course, which will launch in Spring 2026, equips solar professionals with essential skills for navigating grazed solar sites, including working with electric fencing, guardian animals, and sheep-based vegetation management, while offering practical strategies to streamline operations and maintenance, and foster collaboration between solar operators and grazing professionals.
“Grazing sheep on solar farms offers a multitude of benefits for the solar and sheep industry,” said Dr. Andrew Weaver, Assistant Professor of Animal Science. “These benefits include reduced mowing needs and more cost effective vegetation management, farmland preservation, improved public perception, and career opportunities for local sheep producers. The NC State Agrivoltaics Training Site will provide an invaluable opportunity to train our students and farmers in the best management practices for solar grazing. This training site isn’t just about solar energy; it’s about pioneering the future of sheep production – a future that is more resilient, productive, and profitable for North Carolina and the world.”
Event images: NC State/Nevados Ribbon Cutting flickr
ABOUT THE NC CLEAN ENERGY TECHNOLOGY CENTER
The NC Clean Energy Technology Center, as part of the College of Engineering at North Carolina State University, advances a sustainable energy economy by educating, demonstrating, and providing support for clean energy technologies, practices, and policies. It serves as a resource for innovative, sustainable energy technologies through technology demonstration, technical assistance, outreach, and training. For more information about the Center, visit: http://www.nccleantech.ncsu.edu. Twitter: @NCCleanTech
ABOUT THE DEPARTMENT OF ANIMAL SCIENCE
The Department of Animal Science in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at North Carolina State University is leading the advancement of Animal Sciences to transform agriculture, biomedical research, and animal management worldwide. We strive for a future where our efforts drive significant, positive change at local, national, and international levels. We strive to ignite passion and expertise in Animal Sciences through pioneering research, education, and outreach programs. For more information, visit https://cals.ncsu.edu/animal-science/
ABOUT NEVADOS
Nevados designs and manufactures advanced solar tracking systems that enable utility-scale solar on challenging terrain without the need for grading. Founded in 2014 and headquartered in Oakland, California, Nevados delivers a holistic terrain-ready solution that combines patented tracker technology, innovative design tools, and intelligent control features to optimize energy production on untouched, natural landscapes. With more than 2 GW of projects deployed across the U.S., Nevados provides developers with an unmatched end-to-end platform for building cost-efficient, high-performing solar projects wherever the land demands more from design. For more information, visit www.nevados.solar.
ABOUT BOVIET SOLAR
Boviet Solar Technology Co., Ltd. is a leading solar technology company founded in 2013 in Vietnam, specializing in the manufacturing of advanced monocrystalline PV cells and premium Gamma Series™ monofacial and Vega Series™ bifacial PV modules. Boviet Solar’s top-performing modules are engineered for a wide range of applications, including residential, commercial, industrial, community, and utility-scale solar projects.
Boviet Solar combines business acumen, financial strength, technological expertise, and manufacturing excellence to deliver reliable, high-efficiency solar solutions to industry clients worldwide. The company is deeply committed to sustainability, supply chain traceability, and compliance with international trade standards, while fostering long-term, trust-based partnerships across the global energy sector. Boviet Solar has earned industry-wide recognition for quality and reliability.
Boviet Solar has earned multiple global bankability recognitions from leading independent research and analytics organizations. The company has been consistently ranked as a Tier 1 PV Module Manufacturer by Bloomberg New Energy Finance (BNEF) since 2017, named among Wood Mackenzie’s Top 10 Most Bankable Global PV Module Manufacturers since 2024, and listed among Sinovoltaics’ Top 10 Most Financially Stable PV Module Manufacturers since 2024. Additionally, PV ModuleTech has ranked Boviet Solar among the Top 20 Global PV Module Manufacturers since 2022, while Kiwa PVEL has recognized the company’s products as Top Performers in its PV Module Reliability Scorecard since 2019. Collectively, these distinctions underscore Boviet Solar’s strong bankability, financial resilience, and long-term reliability as a trusted global solar technology partner.
Boviet Solar’s global headquarters is in Vietnam, with manufacturing facilities in both the USA and Vietnam, along with additional operations in the USA, Germany, and other key international markets. For more information about our company and products, please visit www.bovietsolar.com.
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MEDIA CONTACTS
NCCETC Contact: Shannon Helm, NC Clean Energy Technology Center, 919-423-8340, [email protected]
NC State University Department of Animal Science Contact: D’Lyn Ford, 919-480-9493, [email protected]
Nevados Contact: Rahul Chandra: 510-386-6329, [email protected]
Boviet Solar Contact: Songül Atacan, [email protected]
Event images: NC State/Nevados Ribbon Cutting flickr
