Integrating Solar Panels into Agriculture Benefits Crops, Wildlife, and Communities

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As you drive down an isolated country road, you pass by vast cornfields, silos, and grazing herds of cows — the quintessential rural scene. But as you look ahead, something unusual catches your eye. Among the green crops, long rows of charcoal-gray rectangles stretch towards the sun — solar panels.

The idea of "planting" solar panels in the middle of farmland or grazing pastures may seem an unlikely combination for renewable energy. However, agrivoltaics — a method of integrating solar panels with agricultural land — is an innovative energy solution that could help mitigate the agricultural sector's impact on climate change. Agrivoltaics might just be paving the way for a brighter future.

What Is Agrivoltaics?

Agrivoltaics creates a synergy between water, energy, and agriculture — a beneficial collaboration among plants, water, soil, and solar panels.

"Agri-" refers to food production, while "-voltaic" means "electricity." Agrivoltaics, often shortened to AV, is also known as agrisolar, low-impact solar, or agriphotovoltaics (APV). Regardless of the term, it all describes the same concept — transforming active farmland into a dual-purpose solar farm.

"In essence, we're cultivating the sun," says Ben Dritenbas, senior development project manager at DSD Renewables, a solar development company and asset owner in the renewable energy sector.

Agrivoltaics wasn't conceived because tech enthusiasts thought it would be amusing to install solar panels in a field of sheep. Agriculture and food production play significant roles in climate change. Approximately 85 percent of global water consumption is dedicated to agricultural activities, with irrigation being the primary use. Moreover, food production is predicted to double within the next thirty years to meet the needs of a growing population.

Solar Energy as a Solution

The global population has recently surpassed 8 billion people and is projected to reach 9.8 billion by 2050. The issue is that more than one-third of all greenhouse gases result from the ways we produce, process, and package food.

Scientists, researchers, and solar energy innovators have been working to reduce human impact on climate change, and increasingly, they are turning to solar energy. Over the past decade, the solar industry has grown exponentially, increasing by an average of 33 percent each year. Today, solar energy is sufficient to power 18 million U.S. homes.

However, this is not a simple, one-size-fits-all solution. A major concern with solar panels as a primary renewable energy source is the large amount of land required for solar installations.

Solar power demands 10 times more land per unit of energy produced compared to fossil fuel plants. According to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), by 2030, solar installations will cover an estimated 2 million acres of land.

However, solar panels can occupy less land when they share space with crops and livestock on agricultural land — and this is just the beginning of the many advantages that AV systems offer.

Agrivoltaics Benefits Both Plants and Animals

Plants have a maximum sunlight absorption point while growing, similar to how eating too much of a burger can ruin the experience. Just as humans can't overeat without discomfort, plants can't indefinitely absorb sunlight.

Endless sunlight doesn't make crops grow bigger or faster either; too much sunlight causes plants to 'sweat.' And like us, when plants sweat, they get thirsty, meaning they need additional water.

When farmers strategically position solar panels, they can provide just the right amount of sunlight to crops, ensuring they get the energy they need without becoming too thirsty.

Research from a site in Montpellier, France, has revealed that lettuce grown with AV systems performed as well as, or better than, crops grown in full sunlight, while also reducing water usage by 20 percent.

In additional AV trials featuring solar panels alongside livestock, the panels offer shade, allowing animals like sheep and cows to graze throughout the day while staying cool, reducing their need for water. A Cornell University team is also experimenting with growing wildflowers around solar panels to explore their potential in aiding the declining bee population.

Solar Panels and Farmers Reap Benefits Too

The advantages of agrivoltaics aren't just one-sided in this mutually beneficial relationship. The solar panels themselves gain from their connection with the plants. This is where the true magic (science) of agrivoltaics occurs.

In some of the most brutal, life-draining places on Earth, like the Mojave Desert, solar panels struggle to perform (and honestly, we wouldn't do too well in heat exceeding 120 degrees Fahrenheit [48.8 degrees Celsius] either).

When solar panels are placed in deserts, they absorb heat from the dry ground beneath, creating a heat island effect that increases the surrounding temperature.

However, if you plant vegetables under the panels, the plants release water through transpiration (sweating) from their leaves, which cools the surrounding air and, by extension, keeps the panels cooler. Cooler panels work more efficiently, converting more sunlight into electricity. Pretty cool, huh?

Research from Oregon State University revealed that solar panels with crops beneath them were able to generate 10 percent more electricity.

Farmers and livestock owners also enjoy the advantages. Unfortunately, farmers have faced financial struggles in recent years. In 2020, U.S. farm bankruptcies rose by 23 percent compared to the previous year. As older farmers hand over their operations to the next generation or to others, some are hesitant to commit to long-term farming as a career due to the inherent risks.

Still, AV offers a new path forward, says Ryan Lloyd, director of asset acquisition at DSD Renewables. "Many farming families are starting to get a little bit excited because it's like, well, we can still farm and have a renewable energy source on our land," he says. "They're starting to see the best of both worlds."

Agrivoltaics also offers farmers the potential for higher yields and creates an additional revenue stream by allowing them to lease their land to solar developers.

Current projects in the northeastern U.S. are experimenting with AV systems on sheep grazing land. "It might help lower costs for mowing and some of the operation and maintenance costs," Dritenbas says. "We fit into what the farmers are trying to do and try to coexist as best we can."

Sheep farmers can diversify their income, solar panel operators don't have to worry about mowing and sheep can eat until their heart's content.

Obstacles to Solar and Other Issues

People generally embrace renewable energy, but not necessarily when it’s right next door. Ask someone if they support renewable energy, and they're likely to say, "Of course!" But if you ask them about living next to a solar installation, they're more likely to say, "Absolutely not."

Since solar power can't be transported like fossil fuels, it must be located near the people who need it. However, this raises concerns among some, who feel that large solar arrays, which are often seen as unsightly, could lower property values.

"In the industry, they're referred to as NIMBYs," explains Dritenbas. This acronym, which stands for Not In My Backyard, describes people who are not thrilled about having a large solar facility near their home, even though they acknowledge its benefits for the greater good.

"We do our best to screen the sights within landscape buffers to comply with county ordinances," explains Dritenbas. "We work closely with landowners and neighboring landowners to reach a compromise that benefits everyone involved."

Dritenbas notes that solar panels are more discreet compared to wind turbines, which are visible from far away and occupy large areas of land. Solar panels typically stand between 8 and 12 feet (2.4 and 3.6 meters) tall and are often enclosed by a fence or vegetative screen. "I believe solar has done a great job blending into the landscape," Dritenbas adds.

Researchers are still investigating which plant and animal relationships gain the most from AV systems. A study conducted by the University of Arizona revealed that crops which thrive in partial shade — such as sweet potatoes, lettuce, alfalfa, kale, and chard — show the best results. However, shade-tolerant crops like wheat and those grown in greenhouses have not fared as well.

Scientists are also exploring the long-term effects of AV systems on land and soil quality, how to establish agreements between solar developers, cities, and landowners, and how livestock and animals interact with these technologies.

"Goats climb and chew on everything, including wires and infrastructure," says Dritenbas. "So, we wouldn't recommend goats."

Embracing New Reasons for Coexistence

From lettuce and sheep to bees and wildflowers, the interconnected nature of agrivoltaics is proving that it can generate more energy with fewer carbon emissions, reduce our water consumption, and boost food production. Although the research is still in its infancy, Dritenbas and Lloyd are confident that their agrivoltaic initiatives are driving solar technology forward.

"Someone has to take the leap and see if this works," says Dritenbas. "We're proud to be among those pioneering the industry, willing to take the risk and make it a reality."