Okovate Sustainable Energy

Okovate Sustainable Energy develops and permits community solar projects that combine solar energy generation and crop production, ensuring profitable and sustainable farming practices for crop farmers. We unlock new revenue streams, provide energy bill and water savings, provide crop protection and resiliency at no expense to the farmer.

Our name comes from a strong hunter and farming deity in Nigeria and the Benin Republic, Oko. He was associated with the annual new harvest of the white African yam. Furthering the tie between Oko and dual-use farms like pollinator habitats, bees are considered the messengers of Oko, spreading agricultural abundance to unfertile lands.

Savannah Whitfield, Co-Founder and COO

Savannah Whitfield is an entrepreneur and solar expert focusing on accelerating the push for clean energy with equity and sustainability at the center. She has 5 years of experience in the C&I Solar industry and is the Founder of an organization that increases the representation of Black people in the solar industry.

This background informs Savannah’s role as Co-Founder and COO of Okovate Sustainable Energy where she partners with farmers to increase resiliency through the deployment of solar projects atop their active farmland.

Inspiration to Start Company

Global food demand is set to increase 50% by 2050, while a third of farmland is at risk of degradation. It’s never been more important to preserve fertile soils and healthy farmlands for future generations. American Farmland Trust estimates 83% of new solar, post-IRA, to be sited on agriculturally-zoned land. Being in the solar development space for a combined 10 years, Okovate’s founders noticed a sustainability gap in the way ground mount solar was being developed. There are over 14 gigawatts of dual-use solar globally, combining crop production and solar energy production. U.S. farmers should be presented with a clean energy solution that improves their farming economics, not decommission their farm. Both having interest in agrivoltaics and dual-use solar, Okovate’s founders decided to launch a company to solve these issues.

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