Growing food and generating electricity on the same piece of land sounds almost too good to be true. Sometimes it is. Here's what the science actually says.
Has anyone been doing work on edge effect on cropping land adjacent to solar projects? If beneficial insect populations are growing in solar projects pesticide use could be minimised. Having mosaic PV installations in cropping land could have many collateral benefits on yield and reduction in chemical usage.
Did a 10K array on my tree farm in 2009. Positioned along access to trees and across large metal barn roof. Glad I did, no adverse impact. Later, as phased out trees to hay, petitioned Boulder County to allow entire arable portion conversion to solar farm, was sure they would agree. Denied as could be “seen” from local road…early days of the concept were uphill battle.
Has anyone been doing work on edge effect on cropping land adjacent to solar projects? If beneficial insect populations are growing in solar projects pesticide use could be minimised. Having mosaic PV installations in cropping land could have many collateral benefits on yield and reduction in chemical usage.
Cows need shade too
Did a 10K array on my tree farm in 2009. Positioned along access to trees and across large metal barn roof. Glad I did, no adverse impact. Later, as phased out trees to hay, petitioned Boulder County to allow entire arable portion conversion to solar farm, was sure they would agree. Denied as could be “seen” from local road…early days of the concept were uphill battle.