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The concept is called agrivoltaics, a combination of the words
agriculture and photovoltaics, which is the process of
converting light into electricity. Currently, solar farms and
corn and soybean fields do not co-exist in Illinois.
The American Farmland Trust estimates over 80% of new solar
development built in the coming decades will take place on
farmland.
Dennis Bowman, Extension Digital Agriculture Specialist with the
University of Illinois Extension, said on an Everyday
Environment podcast that it bothers him to lose valuable farm
ground to a solar farm.
“Growing crops is something that I’ve spent most of my career
helping farmers do a better job of, and seeing the best farm
ground in the world being turned into solar farms somewhat hurts
my soul,” said Bowman.
Bowman is taking part in a research project called Scapes, which
stands for Sustainably Colocating Agricultural and Photovoltaic
Electricity Systems.
Bowman said pollinating plants can be grown under and around
solar panels, but the fields can also be used for grazing.
“By doing a managed forage system underneath the solar panels
and just grazing that with sheep, which have shown the most
promise,” said Bowman. “Goats can be a little aggressive, and
cattle need the panels raised a little higher, which is more
expensive.”
Agrivoltaics is happening already, primarily in China and
Europe, but it is also taking place in parts of the Midwest and
east coast. |
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