(AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
The agrovoltaic concept is simple: growing some kind of food in fields of solar panels. Slowly but surely, both research and successful practices are spreading, the benefits of harvesting clean energy and food together are becoming clearer, and challenges are being met.
Pollinator plantings (for beekeeping and biodiversity), the vegetables and fruits sold at farmers’ markets and grocery produce sections, and sheep: these most common uses of the land under solar arrays are proving to be clear win-win set-ups for producers of both food and energy. There are other wins, too, for those of us who like to eat, prefer to avoid food controlled by giant corporations, want more renewable energy, and appreciate the aesthetics and other benefits of open lands.
Want to learn more? These readings and resources are a great place to start:
Overviews of agrovoltaics
