What if the future of solar energy doesn’t mean sacrificing farmland, but restoring it?

In this episode of Green Giants: Titans of Renewable Energy, we sit down with Matt Horvath, General Manager at D-Com Electric and Co-Founder of Sun Cycle Farms, to explore one of the most innovative and misunderstood models in clean energy today: agrivoltaics.

Matt’s journey began in the trenches, starting as a first-year electrical apprentice, earning his Red Seal certification, and going on to design and lead solar projects across Southern Alberta, from 4kW home installs to 4MW utility-scale builds. What sets Matt apart is his dual perspective, equal parts electrician and farm kid. That background shaped a bold new vision: solar energy doesn’t have to compete with agriculture, it can complement it.

Matt co-founded Sun Cycle Farms to bring this vision to life through an ecosystem-based approach that integrates solar O&M, livestock, regenerative soil practices, and real-time control systems. This year they launched a demonstration farm that is testing cattle integration, smart fencing, real-time soil monitoring, and even carbon credit tracking through improved soil health.

In this episode, we unpack:

• The origin story behind Sun Cycle Farms and its community-first design
• How traditional lease models miss the mark and what a landowner-first approach looks like
• The risks of elevating solar panels for virtue without economics
• Why agrivoltaics isn’t “just sheep” and the case for cattle, chickens, and pigs
• How solar O&M and agriculture can be fused into a unified, tech-enabled model
• How carbon credits and regenerative land metrics could offset solar operating costs
• Lessons from Alberta’s “Ag First” mandate and navigating regulatory gray zones

Matt also challenges assumptions around energy development: why do landowners sign solar leases in the first place? What does that say about how we value land and food production? And how do we create win-win outcomes for rural communities, asset owners, and future generations?

This is not a story about compromise. It is about building a regenerative, integrated model for energy and agriculture that is built to last.

Whether you are a renewable energy developer, policy advisor, farmer, or investor in the clean energy transition, this episode will shift your perspective.

Links: 

Matt Horvath on LinkedIn
SunCycle Farms Blog
SunCycle Farms
D-Com Electric

Wes Ashworth: https://www.linkedin.com/in/weslgs/

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