The University of Tennessee Research Foundation (UTRF) and UT Martin (UTM) launched a student-led pitch competition to develop a strategic business plan that helps shape the future of UT’s 5-megawatt West Tennessee Solar Farm and its educational exhibit located at the Tennessee Department of Transportation’s (TDOT) Welcome Center on Interstate 40.
The projects in the pitch competition aim to develop a comprehensive business plan that integrates the solar farm, the educational exhibit, and interstate-facing signage to maximize UT’s assets and showcase its commitment to innovation, advanced energy, educational opportunities, and public engagement through 2030 and beyond.
Developing the solar farm was a key 2010 initiative, with the exhibit serving as an educational platform. The University maintains the exhibit and owns 150 acres of surrounding land, of which 75 are used for the solar farm. The exhibit is housed in a facility owned by TDOT but managed by the Tennessee Department of Tourism. Despite a reduction in the solar farm’s production capacity, there is still significant potential to leverage these resources to promote UT’s brand and resources – an opportunity the students’ project proposals sought to explore.
Randy Boyd, president of the UT System, kicked off the competition, stating, “The best ideas come from our students, so we’re just incredibly excited to hear what your thoughts are.”
President Boyd and Jeffery Silvers, UT Extension Specialist who manages the exhibit, judged the pitch competition based on the feasibility and innovation of proposed strategies, alignment with project objectives, completeness of the plan, practicality of long-term implementation, and clarity and effectiveness of the final presentation.
A total of four groups participated in the pitch competition with 10 weeks to complete the project. Team ‘UTM Means Business’ earned first place and the $1,000 prize, team ‘Busy Bees’ took second place with $500, and team ‘Agrivoltaics’ received third place and $250.
Project Proposals
- Team ‘UTM Means Business’ – This plan recommends shifting the solar farm toward a dual-use agrivoltaics model that integrates crop production, community food donation, educational programming, and rentable agricultural land to create a sustainable revenue stream. It also emphasizes digital marketing, partnerships with TCAT and local k-12 schools, and community events to raise visibility and strengthen UT’s brand at the exhibit and farm.
- Team ‘Busy Bees’ – This project proposes transforming unused acreage at the West Tennessee Solar Farm into a large-scale pollinator habitat and educational apiary, creating a “living classroom” with native wildflowers, beehives, and visitor learning infrastructure. It aims to enhance biodiversity, reduce maintenance costs, support cost-neutral land stewardship, and expand UT’s sustainability and agrivoltaics education presence.
- Team ‘Agrivoltaics’ – This project proposes creating a UT Extension agrivoltaics research center on a 7.57-acre section of the solar farm, using crop rotation trials, pollinator support, and student-led data collection to demonstrate how agricultural production and solar infrastructure can coexist and improve soil health over time. It offers a scalable, low-cost model that enhances education, community outreach, and partnership opportunities while showcasing sustainable land management.
- Team ‘UT Solar Innovators Challenge’ – This project proposes establishing partnerships with TCAT and local community colleges for an engineering and innovation competition that uses the solar farm as a hands-on testing ground where students develop low-cost, practical solutions to improve operations, enhance visitor engagement, and address long-term challenges such as maintenance, diagnostics, and solar panel end-of-life management. The program positions the site as a statewide hub for energy education, workforce development, and public engagement.
About the West Tennessee Solar Farm
The solar farm comprises approximately 21,000 fixed-tilt, ground-mounted photovoltaic solar panels. Electricity generated is distributed through purchase agreements with local utility Chickasaw Electric Cooperative and Tennessee Valley Authority.
The West Tennessee Solar Farm and the Tennessee Solar Institute were made possible by a $62.5-million allocation of federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds to the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development in 2009. Through the UT Research Foundation, the university is responsible for the installation and operation of the power-generation facility.