As agrivoltaics gain traction across the United States, research on barriers and opportunities for co-locating agriculture with solar is expanding. The SCAPES solar research project, led by the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, has received funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to study how to efficiently co-locate photovoltaic and agricultural systems in various biogeographical regions. As part of this research, the project team created a survey to better understand the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of such co-location.
Your voice matters! Please take 15 minutes to complete this survey. Your participation is greatly appreciated and will contribute to the success of our research. Your insights can impact future agrivoltaic considerations. We encourage all industry representatives to participate.
https://www.agrisolarclearinghouse.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/5-scaled.jpg19202560A. J. Pucketthttps://www.agrisolarclearinghouse.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/AgriSolar_stacked_1-338x400.pngA. J. Puckett2024-11-12 16:29:442024-11-12 16:29:45SCAPES Agrivoltaics Survey
Gary Paul Nabhan, PhD., Agroecologist, Borderlands Restoration Network
When most Americans think of crop production, they tend to imagine crops growing in full sunlight to achieve their full potential for productivity. But over decades,there has always been crop production in shade habitats or constructed environments, as well. Indeed, much of the coffee and chocolate (cocoa) consumed as beverages has been grown under shade-bearing, nitrogen-fixing legume trees such as madrecacao (Glyericidia sepia), a tropical tree with a dense and expansive canopy that protects understory crops from excessive heat and damaging radiation.
Virtually all the food crops, forages, and medicinal herbs grown in North American agroforestry and alley-cropping systems are to some extent shade-tolerant. Many—like chile peppers—can comfortably tolerate a 35% to 50% reduction in photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) compared to open sunlight all day. They seldom suffer a yield reduction due to less sunlight in this range, especially from noon to 4 p.m. Iin fact, yields in some varieties are augmented, perhaps because a significant percentage of all arid, temperate, and tropical wild plants evolved to begin their lives under the shade of “nurse plants” and have evolved shade tolerance to varying degrees over millennia. More than 30,000 farmers in the U.S. were engaging in one or more types of agroforestry practices by 2017, when agrivoltaic practices first hit the American scene.
Agrivoltaic pepper plants in Arizona. Photo: NCAT
Benefits and Challenges of Solar and Crop Co-Location
So, what kind of benefits do shade-grown crops receive, and what are the challenges of growing crops under any kind of shade, for both the trees and the solar panels?
Benefits
Let’s first look at the benefits. Shade reduces the amount of sunburn or sun scald that understory plants receive but particularly reduces the effects of damaging ultraviolet radiation. It also serves as a temperature buffer, reducing high summer temperatures by as much as 4°F to 6°F and keeping winter temperatures in crop canopies 2°F to 4°F warmer—in some cases, enough to avert premature freezes or to extend the frost-free growing season by as much as three weeks. With less direct sun, evaporation of water from the soil and transpiration from the leaves are reduced, and soil moisture stress may not be as severe.
The flowers of crops abort less in cooler temperatures, and they also attract more pollinators. Plant desiccation is not only reduced, but the nitrogen content of the foliage also does not spike enough to trigger feeding frenzies by leaf-sucking or browsing insects. At the same time, the Brix levels—an indicator of how sweet and nutritious vegetables and herbs might be—is sustained at higher levels, adding to the value of the crop.
Perhaps the ultimate advantage is that it buffers farmworkers managing or harvesting from severe heat stress and dehydration in hot summers, improving their harvesting efficiency and reducing their vulnerability to hazards and illness. In 2023 alone, 30,000 more outdoor workers in the U.S. succumbed to heat stress than in any other year in recorded history. Since hand-harvested crops are time-consuming, their harvesters are especially vulnerable.
Thermal image showing farm worker under a solar panel with a body temperature of 80°F and an outdoor temperature over 100°F. Photo: NCAT
Challenges
The disadvantages of co-location are more obvious for some sun-loving plants than for others. If the canopy tree or solar panel “competes” for too much light, it will result in reductions in photosynthesis and yields, thereby impeding the growth of the underling. However, there may be more humidity retained in the under-panel microclimate that fosters fungal diseases and possibly leads to more plant damage from insects that thrive on the fungal environment.
Crop height may be impeded, requiring more pruning or difficulty in harvesting. And of course, most mechanical harvesters of high stature are eliminated from use if panel are 5 meters (16.4 feet) or less in height.
Lastly, the space under photovoltaic panels is economically and ecologically costly per square meter; the metal, copper wiring and glass or plastic fiber glazing in photovoltaic panels is burdened with considerable “embedded energy” within it, so each panel provides small but very expensive growing space (except when compared to high-tech, computerized greenhouses with air conditioning and movable benches.) It is unlikely that growing grains or dry beans under photovoltaic arrays will ever be cost-effective.
So, what is different and distinctive about the shaded growing spaces under photovoltaic panels? For one thing, these areas have solid or slotted covers, rather than being diffused and porous like most leafy canopies. Secondly, all constructed spaces in a photovoltaic array are of similar height and size, whereas the height and size(s) are highly variable in natural or semi-managed forests.
In natural settings, “nurse trees” also offer much more than shade and temperature buffering to understory plants; they also offer mycorrhizal connections and soil fertility renewal. Some deep-rooted legume trees also pump and leak water and nutrients to other plants in their nurse plant guild that are too young to do this on their own
The crops discussed here that are most suitable for agrivoltaics conditions are high-value cash crops or nutritionally dense fruits and vegetables for home or community consumption. These crops are more suitable for agrivoltaics conditions compared to grain or bean crops, for example. Medicinals and pharmafood crops would likely be a better fit for growing conditions that are produced from dual-use land environments.
Agrivoltaic pepper plants in Arizona. Photo: AgriSolar Clearinghouse
Considerations for Crop Selection
It is important to consider what shape, size, and habit of crop plants might be most appropriate for agrivoltaics production over an extended period of time. When considering crops that will be well-suited for the conditions of an agrivoltaics site, it is important to consider the following points.
Crop Characteristics:
Vining or “bush” growth forms
Sun-loving or shade-loving
Height and width of fully grown plant
Multiple harvests or single harvests required?
Root depth
If we were to design an “ideotype” best suited to the photovoltaic micro-environment, it would need to meet at least five of the following plant characteristics:
Vertically-vining or “indeterminate” growth forms that make maximum use of the space under solar panels by being trellised or “stiffer” scandent plants that lean upon a trellis (such as dragon fruit and capers). Vining plants that spread out beyond the perimeters of the panels may have a cooling effect that increases photovoltaic energy production efficiency (his strategy assumes that the interspaces between panels are not being utilized in another way).
Tolerate moderate (especially mid-day) shade, with interception or screening of photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) in the range from 35 to 50% of total daylight,
Growth habit that will allow for harvesting of seed, fruit, flowers, floral buds, or leaves from waist high (1 meter or 3.28 feet) to shoulder-high (1.4 to 1.8 meters or 4.59 to 5.9 feet) above the ground to allow work by hand or mechanical harvesters.
Can be harvested or “cut” multiple times per season, pruning them to stimulate subsequent regrowth and recutting within three to four weeks of the previous harvest.
Be either deep-rooted or shallow-rhizomatous perennials with runners, or longer-lived seasonal annuals that can be uprooted after the last harvest to allow new transplants to go into the same space.
Now that we’ve established the ideal architectural and behavioral criteria for selecting crop plants, here is a list of crops that meet three or more of these criteria. These lists emphasize high-value crop plants that have other adaptations to hot, dry conditions but may require partial shade or frequent cutting and harvesting.
Berry vines and bushes with long, arching shoots that can be both vertically and horizontally trellised: currants, dewberries, gooseberries (Ribes spp.);brambleberries, blackberries, dewberries, and loganberries (Ribes spp.), grapes, including muscadines, musquats, scuppernongs, etc. (Vitis spp.)
Arborescent and scandent cacti with high-value fruit: cochineal nopal (Opuntia cochiillifera) dragonfruit cacti, including white-fleshed pitahaya (Selinicereus undulatus), red-fleshed pitahaya (Selenicereus costaricensis), and yellow pitahaya (Selenicereus megalanthus); pitahaya agrias (Stenocereus gummosus, S. quereteroensis, and S. griseus), longer-lived seasonal annuals that can be pulled up after the last harvest to allow new transplants to go into the same space.
Short-stature shrubs with copious production of fruits, buds, or berries over a long season: capers (Capparisspinosa); capulín sand cherries (Prunus salicifolia); chiltepín, chile del arbol, shishito, etc. (Capsicum annuum); Mexican hawthorn or tejocote (Crataegus mexicana); elderberry (Sambucus nigra); goji or wolfberry (Lycium barbarum, L. chinense, L. fremontii, and L. pallidum); Persian lime (Citrus x latifolia); key lime (Citrus aurantifolia); kumquat (Fortunella margarita and hybrids); jujube (Zizyphus jujba); guava (Psidium guajava); hibiscus or Jamaican sorrel (Hibiscus sabdardiff); ormaypops and passion fruit (Passiflora spp.).
Perennial culinary herbs that can tolerate (or increase production with) frequent, severe cuttings: Mexican oregano (Lippia berlandieri, L. graveolens), saffron (Crocus sativus), Mexican tarragon (Tagetes lucida), papaloquelite (Porophyllum ruderale) Sierra Madre oregano (Poliomentha madrensis), lavandin (Lavendula intermedia), Greek oregano (Origanum vulgare), thyme (Thymus vulgaris), and lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus).
Dwarf or drastically pruned trees with high-value fruit: dwarf varieties of figs (Ficus spp.), pomegranates (Punica granatum), cherries, including the Mahaleb cherry (Prunus mahaleb), olive (Olea europea), Sechuan peppers (Zanthoxylum armatum, Z. bungeanum, and Z. simulans), and Mediterranean sumac (Rhus coriaria).
Long-season annual herbs or perennial pharmafoods (nutriceuticals) that can tolerate frequent cuttings: sweetleaf stevia (Stevia rebaudiana), holy basil or tulsi (Ocimum tenuiflorum), damiana (Turnera diffusa), saffron (Crocus sativus), wild Lebanese cucumber-melon (Cucumis melo, a parent of the popular beit-alpha greenhouse cucumber); and chia (Salvia hispanica).
It is important to consider what horticultural design and density qualifies as having the optimal features required to grow in agrivoltaics conditions, for none of these proposed crops need to be grown in evenly spaced monoculture. For instance, the least sun-sensitive crop varieties can go on the periphery of the solar panels, preserving the core area for the most shade-tolerant varieties or species.
A Speaker Discusses Agrivoltaics in Arizona. Photo: AgriSolar Clearinghouse
Alternatively, taller woody perennials can be placed under the highest levels of the panels, with the shorter varieties or species reserved for the shortest area toward the “front” of the angled panel. However, new designs of photovoltaics have computerized solar trackers for mobile or reclinable units, so that may become an irrelevant consideration in the future. Another option is to grow indeterminate vine crops such as cucumbers or grapes on the periphery of the solar panel shadow. This might allow those crops to “crawl out,” and provide greenery that reduces ambient temperatures on the panel surface. This may increase daily energy production efficiency and extend the lifetime of the panel(s).
A final consideration is that for extremely high-value crops like pharmafoods and pharmaceuticals, screening the sides of the growing space may reduce or halt predation by insects or vertebrate herbivores. The overall cost of construction and production in an agrivoltaic system would remain far less than that for most commercial greenhouses, but the agrivoltaic micro-climate and growing space would then be considered a “controlled environment.”
When selecting crops that are uniquely suited to be grown in agrivoltaic settings, consider the guidance provided above. Ask questions related to the features of the solar panel design, including height, width, and other design features, as well as measurements. Then, consider the plant characteristics that are being considered for that site: height, width, water consumption, root depth, harvesting schedule, etc. Next, form a strategy from the characteristics you have identified for both the panels and the plants and make an informed decision about what will work best for that specific agrivoltaic site, as agrivoltaics conditions can vary from one site to another.
https://www.agrisolarclearinghouse.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/image-7.jpeg1349899A. J. Pucketthttps://www.agrisolarclearinghouse.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/AgriSolar_stacked_1-338x400.pngA. J. Puckett2024-10-17 10:40:062024-10-17 10:47:23Crops Uniquely Suited to Growth in Agrivoltaic Settings
Agrivoltaic systems emerge as a promising solution to the ongoing conflict between allocating agricultural land for food production and establishing solar parks. This field experiment, conducted during the spring and summer seasons of 2023, aims to showcase barley production in a vertical agrivoltaic system compared to open-field reference conditions at Kärrbo Prästgård, near Västerås, Sweden.
https://www.agrisolarclearinghouse.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/AgriSolar-Library-.png400600A. J. Pucketthttps://www.agrisolarclearinghouse.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/AgriSolar_stacked_1-338x400.pngA. J. Puckett2024-10-15 09:55:552024-10-15 09:55:57Data on the Effects of a Vertical Agrivoltaic System on Crop Yield and Nutrient Content of Barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) in Sweden
“Growing Farmers, Growing Foods” is the mission at Minnesota-based Big River Farms, a program of 501(c)3 nonprofit The Food Group. They recently won the North American Agrivoltaics Award for Best Solar Farm in 2024. Big River Farms teaches farmers to farm organically, sustainably, and regeneratively while also enhancing the level of understanding of the environmental impact that can result from properly implementing these types of farming practices. Specialty crop farmers are the backbone of our food system and are major contributors to local economies. However, land access is a major barrier for many emerging farmers, including farmers of color, in both rural and urban communities.
Big River Farms Program Manager KaZoua Berry. Photo: AgriSolar Clearinghouse
In 2022, the Minnesota Department of Agriculture established the nation’s first Emerging Farmers Office, with the intention of helping to remove barriers that emerging farmers face when getting started in farming. This includes new Americans and first-generation farmers who lack access to land or capital. Farmland access has been identified by the Emerging Farmers Office as the most common challenge for these farmers.
Big River Farms works with farmers who are in constant need of land to farm on. Last year in Big River Farms’ incubator program, several farmers stated that they are ready to leave the incubator farm if they can buy land or access land elsewhere so that they can scale up independently. Expanding their program to solar sites will enable Big River Farms to build leadership and capacity in the immigrant community, diversify and enhance local food production, improve access for low-income households to healthy food, and build cultural bridges between emerging farmers and the larger community.
Big River Farms, the Food Group, USDA Emerging Farmers Office, and Connexus Energy. Photo: AgriSolar Clearinghouse
“With thoughtful planning and procurement, the community benefits of multi-acre solar projects can be numerous,” said Brian Ross, vice president of Renewable Energy for Great Plains Institute. “It’s important that we are stacking solutions to local food production and access into the clean energy transition.”
With this project, the visibility of the dual-use solar will create new connections to the host communities for the solar arrays and build Big River Farms’ success and enhance its mission. Association of the solar facilities with the Big River Farms’ equity goals will help resolve concerns about loss of agricultural capacity in communities hosting solar development and can contribute to accelerated deployment of solar sites on arable soils.
“A quarter of an acre between rows can become an incredibly productive plot of land that right now isn’t necessarily in use,” said Sophia Lenarz-Coy, executive director of The Food Group.
Abundant Crops Grown by Big River Farms Between Rows of Solar Panels. Photo: AgriSolar Clearinghouse
The Solar Farmland Access for Emerging Farmers project seeks to increase land access to BIPOC and immigrant farmers through the utilization of spaces around solar farms, while concurrently documenting the safe and scalable practices that solar asset owners and insurers can implement as prerequisites of site utilization. Big River Farms, Great Plains Institute, US Solar, and Connexus have worked together to implement best practices from the National Renewable Energy Lab that have created replicable guidance for others seeking to collaborate and enable solar facility access for farming activities.
Winners of the North American Agrivoltaics Award for Best Solar Farm in 2024: The Food Group, Big River Farms, US Solar, NREL, Great Plains Institute, and Connexus Energy. Photo: AgriSolar Clearinghouse
Community opposition to multi-acre solar development is driven in part by communities misunderstanding the local benefits of agrivoltaics and thinking that farmland is being taken out of production. Developing solar does not mean farmland is being destroyed or taken out of production. LBNL’s recent research and NREL’s latest publications from the InSPIRE study show that utilities and solar developers need to maintain and improve what is known as “solar’s social license” in communities nationwide. To avoid the worst effects of climate change, more than 3 million additional acres of solar arrays need to be built by 2030.
While incorporating agriculture into solar designs has been shown to increase public acceptance of solar, some approaches are looking at elevating solar panels 10 feet to grow commodity corn and continue status-quo farming approaches. However, hand-harvested crops commonly sold in farmers markets nationwide can readily be grown in abundance with existing solar facility designs, such as one or two panels on single-axis trackers and torque-tube height of six feet.
Big River Farms Tomato Crop at US Solar Big Lake Array. Photo: AgriSolar Clearinghouse
Through the Big River Farms program, farmers learn to scale up their food production while implementing sustainable and regenerative farming practices that improve water quality and usage. Having land access to get started as a specialty crop farmer fills a critical niche in helping address the larger challenges related to land ownership and sustainable, specialty farm operations. Building skills, network, and resources, especially in the agrivoltaics community, helps prepare specialty crop farmers for the next stages of their success.
Moving Forward: Growing Farmers, Growing Crops
Moving forward, Big River Farms and Great Plains Institute have been identifying barriers, challenges, and successes of utilizing solar spaces and gathering feedback from farmers, utilities, solar facility owners, and host communities. This project will build capacity and enhance the possibility of success for emerging farmers among immigrant and BIPOC farmers. It will also diversify local agricultural and food-production markets. Most importantly, it will help enhance the communities’ understanding of agrivoltaics systems and diminish the misunderstood concept that solar is taking over valuable agricultural lands.
With these concepts and practices in place, it will help the organization achieve and sustain the mission of “Growing Farmers, Growing Foods.”Through education, the emerging farmers will succeed and prosper, and through sustainable and regenerative agrivoltaics farming practices, the foods will grow as well.
https://www.agrisolarclearinghouse.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/image-1.jpeg10731430A. J. Pucketthttps://www.agrisolarclearinghouse.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/AgriSolar_stacked_1-338x400.pngA. J. Puckett2024-10-09 11:55:412024-11-04 08:32:07Case Study: Existing Solar as Farmland Access for Emerging Farmers
This review examines three key agrivoltaic setups—static tilted, full-sun tracking, and agronomic tracking—dissecting their engineering features’ roles in optimizing both the electricity yield and the fruit productivity of some fruit crops.
https://www.agrisolarclearinghouse.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/AgriSolar-Library-90x90-1.png9090A. J. Pucketthttps://www.agrisolarclearinghouse.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/AgriSolar_stacked_1-338x400.pngA. J. Puckett2024-04-10 12:55:282024-04-10 12:55:29Fruit Crop Species with Agrivoltaic Systems: A Critical Review
This work aimed to study the yield and nutritional characteristics, as well as feeding value for ruminants of Durum wheat biomass grown under an agrivoltaic system.
https://www.agrisolarclearinghouse.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/AgriSolar-Library-90x90-1.png9090A. J. Pucketthttps://www.agrisolarclearinghouse.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/AgriSolar_stacked_1-338x400.pngA. J. Puckett2024-03-27 11:30:322024-03-27 11:30:33Determination of Feed Yield and Quality Parameters of Whole Crop Durum Wheat: Biomass Under Agrivoltaic System
This study examines the berry crop group more in detail through a meta-analysis of strawberry, blueberry, blackberry, and black currants, to distinguish between individual crops and assess their suitability for agrivoltaics systems.
https://www.agrisolarclearinghouse.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/AgriSolar-Library-90x90-1.png9090A. J. Pucketthttps://www.agrisolarclearinghouse.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/AgriSolar_stacked_1-338x400.pngA. J. Puckett2024-03-20 08:21:212024-03-20 08:21:22Berry Shade Tolerance for Agrivoltaics Systems: A Meta-analysis
“Colorado governor Polis and Colorado Department of Agriculture (CDA) Commissioner Kate Greenberg awarded $500,000 in grants to seven projects that demonstrate the use and benefits of agrivoltaics, the simultaneous use of land for solar energy production and agriculture. These grants distributed by the Polis administration will provide funding to incorporate innovative technology that supports Colorado’s producers to operate in the face of challenges created by climate change and prepare the next generation.” – Colorado.gov
Sarah Bendok Receives Permit to Build Agrisolar Project in Phoenix
Sarah Bendok has received the permits by the city of Phoenix required to proceed with constructing a 5-KW agrivoltaic system. The project is expected to cost around $20,000 and is financed through donations from community events, presentations and grants. Sarah is the founder of the non-profit Growing Green, where they help local farmers develop, implement and fund sustainable technologies.
“Smaller residential solar arrays, owned by the landowner, can significantly reduce the electricity bills of a farm, often covering the electricity needs of barns, warehouses, equipment, and the household.
Michigan State University found that a 10 kilowatt (kW) solar system could save the average farm about $1,880 per year. Other farms, like dairy farms, have a more energy intensive operation and the same 10 kW system could save a dairy farm nearly $4,000 per year. Combined with federal incentives and USDA rural energy programs, farms can save even more on upfront costs.
Lightsource bp’s Elm Branch and Briar Creek solar projects in Texas delivered two new revenue streams to local farmers. The first was in the form of lease payments. The second was a grazing contract for the farmers’ more than 1,000 sheep. These sheep now control the growth of grass on the site and stay cool under the shade of the panels.” – Cleantechnica
Agrisolar: The Key to a Clean Energy Future
“Interest in agrivoltaics is growing, along with the need for land for new solar farms, as Minnesota and the nation shift to cleaner energy. The U.S. Department of Energy estimates 10 million acres of solar panels will be needed by 2050 to meet the nation’s net zero-carbon goals.
US Solar owns the 1-megawatt Big Lake community solar garden and about 80 more in Minnesota. It’s part of a pilot project encouraging farmers to grow crops or graze livestock between and underneath solar arrays.” – MPR News
Oil Companies Lightsource and Shell Using Agrisolar
“Today, the U.S. has about five gigawatts of agrivoltaic projects, encompassing more than 35,000 acres across over 30 different states. While this only represents about 3% of the country’s installed solar capacity, it’s a growing industry, and farmers are taking note.
Lightsource operates a combined 615 megawatts of sheep grazing and solar power projects, around 12% of the nation’s entire agrivoltaic portfolio. The company plans to add an additional 1,058 megawatts worth of projects next year. Shell is also involved in the space through its 44% stake in solar developer Silicon Ranch. The ranch operates 1,300 megawatts of agrivoltaic projects with an additional 900 megawatts planned over the next two years.
While there are other players in the domestic agrivoltaic market such as Enel Green Power and US Solar, Lightsource and Silicon Ranch remain the largest players in the space. American oil majors such as Chevron and Exxon haven’t invested in agrivoltaics.” – CNBC
https://www.agrisolarclearinghouse.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/agrisolar-roundup-photo-scaled.jpg25602378A. J. Pucketthttps://www.agrisolarclearinghouse.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/AgriSolar_stacked_1-338x400.pngA. J. Puckett2023-12-20 10:52:372023-12-20 10:54:01AgriSolar News Roundup: Colorado Agrivoltaics, Sarah Bendok, Solar Benefits Farmland, Clean Energy Future, Energy Companies Use Agrisolar
Cantaloupe melons growing between rows of solar panels.
By Anna Richmond-Mueller, NCAT Energy Analyst
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Just south of Portland, Oregon, researchers with Oregon State University (OSU) are putting agrisolar principles to the test at the Oregon Agrivoltaic Research Facility. The site is located at the Noth Willamette Research and Extension Center (NWREC) and serves as host to OSU’s ongoing agrivoltaic research under the leadership of Dr. Chad Higgins. The numerous studies conducted on the site will contribute to advancements in multiple fields, including plant physiology, water usage, and soil health, all while producing power for Oregon citizens through a community solar program.
While agrivoltaics research has picked up in recent years, a large number of the sites being studied were not originally built with agrisolar pursuits in mind. Although it’s entirely possible to successfully integrate agricultural practices into an existing solar array, using only these sites for research lessens the opportunity to discover agrivoltaic’s full potential. With the Oregon Agrivoltaic Research Facility, Dr. Higgins and OSU flipped the narrative by instead asking: what if a solar site was designed to maximize agricultural production?
The OSU team felt it was important to approach the project from the perspective of a farmer looking to add panels into their current operations. With that goal in mind, the decision was made to design an array that wouldn’t necessitate the purchase of specialized farming equipment capable of working amongst the panels. Instead, they used NWREC’s current tractor to determine how far apart the bifacial panels needed to be spaced and chose a racking system that can tilt to a vertical position on command.
A row of dry farmed crops between solar panels.
Once again approaching the project as a farmer might, Dr. Higgins and his team chose to fund the project through loans, investors, and grants rather than having the university entirely foot the bill. The team partnered with Oregon Clean Power Cooperative (OCPC), who financed the project and maintain ownership over the site. OSU contributed about 5% of the necessary funds, and OCPC’s community investment model provided the framework for local investors to contribute as well. The project also received grants from both Portland General Electric and the Roundhouse Foundation, which provided funding for on-site NWREC staff, research, materials, and construction costs. OSU anticipates the project will pay for itself in about 10 years.
In addition to providing space for agrisolar research, the site also serves as a community solar operation with Oregon Clean Power Cooperative. OCPC was heavily involved in the project from the beginning, working with Dr. Higgins to design the system and purchase the equipment in the midst of a supply chain crisis during the pandemic. Thanks to the dedication of both parties, construction on the 5-acre, 320-kW site wrapped up in the fall of 2022, and it began producing power the following April. The site is OCPC’s first community solar project for Portland General Electric customers. Currently, OSU buys some of the power from the array, and the remaining is purchased by a local church, synagogue, and area residents, including low-income households who receive the power at a 50% discount. The partnership between OCPC and OSU has been so successful that OCPC is in the process of developing two more sites for OSU’s agrivoltaic research in the state.
Melon crop area being monitored for detailed data collection.
Although the Oregon Agrivoltaic Research Facility is only in its first year of operation, extensive studies are already underway onsite. By the end of fall 2023, a study on soil compaction from installation will be complete, as well as an investigation into soil health in bare ground versus agrivoltaic spaces. OSU is also investing in long-term research, with a 20-year study on pollinators beginning in fall 2023. More extensive soil-quality projects will also start in the fall, looking to determine how an agrisolar system impacts soil health markers over 20 or more years. Sheep will graze on the site for part of the year, allowing for research on seasonal forage and sheep nutrition.
Dr. Chad Higgins and Follow the Sun tour attendees behind Argonne National Lab’s wildlife monitoring camera.
Nestled in the center of the array is a grassy row with a camera set at one end, seemingly at odds with the rows of plants surrounding it. This unassuming row is actually the location of two important studies, one focused on wildlife and the other on grass growth as a proxy for crop productivity. Argonne National Laboratory monitors the camera for wildlife that wander into the array, concentrating specifically on observing how the bird population interacts with the solar array. The grass is just one of several plots around the world included in an ongoing study by the United Nations, which is dedicated to predicting how certain crops will grow in a given environment. NWREC is home to another one of these plots, located outside of the array, and OSU team will analyze how the two onsite plots compare. This will give them insight into how a number of crops are likely to grow within the array without having to actually cultivate each plant.
In September 2023, the AgriSolar Clearinghouse’s Follow the Sun tour had the opportunity to join Dr. Higgins in Oregon and see the OSU team’s crop research in action. The researchers chose to grow their crops using a technique called “dry farming,” which relies on soil moisture and rainfall to water the plants rather than irrigation. Agrivoltaics pairs particularly well with dry farming because the shade from the solar panels significantly reduces soil moisture loss. Several varieties of squash, tomatoes, melons, hemp, and hydrangeas were successfully growing between the panels, and plans to add blueberries in the coming months were on the docket, as well. More than 75 people signed up to attend the tour and had the opportunity to listen to Dr. Higgins discuss the research facility, scalability of the project, financial considerations, and initial observations of the plants growing within the array.
The Oregon Agrivoltaic Research Facility’s commitment to embracing dual-use agriculture is truly inspiring. In addition to the research already in progress, there is an entire row of panels dedicated to experiential learning, the development of lesson plans, and opportunities for students. OSU’s clear investment in both current and future leaders in the agrisolar world leaves little doubt that the site will become a major contributor to the ever-growing body of agrivoltaic knowledge.
Hemp plants (left) and delicata squash (right) growing within the array.
Photo credit: NCAT
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https://www.agrisolarclearinghouse.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/53253798115_e7d3b1b75c_o-scaled.jpg14402560Anna Adairhttps://www.agrisolarclearinghouse.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/AgriSolar_stacked_1-338x400.pngAnna Adair2023-12-19 09:16:502024-10-17 12:24:19Case Study: Oregon Agrivoltaic Research Facility
The aim of this study was to assess the effects via carbon isotopic composition in grains, as well as the grain yield of winter wheat in an agrivoltaic system in Southwest Germany.
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