Verde Technologies has announced that is was chosen as a recipient of the 2026 Leahy Grant through the University of Vermont (UVM) Leahy Institute for Rural Partnerships.
The project, "Empowering Vermont Farms", is a collaborative initiative to study and demonstrate lightweight solar technologies on barns and rural structures that can’t support conventional panels. This project is spearheaded by Verde in partnership with the University of Vermont, the Land care cooperative, von Trapp Family Lodge & Resort, and multiple local farms across Vermont.
The work will support student training, collect real-world performance data on novel solar mounting strategies, and explore how lightweight solar approaches could improve energy resilience for Vermont farms - while respecting the state’s agricultural heritage.
