3 Winners, 2 Losers from the 2nd Annual Solar Farm Summit
Has it already been a few weeks since the solar industry converged on the Loews Chicago Hotel for the 2nd annual Solar Farm Summit? A yearly meeting of industry leaders and innovators in the Agrivoltaics space…
The energy at the conference was palpable, with farmers, researchers, developers, and policymakers coming together to chart the future of solar energy in the United States. Topics ran the gamut, from the technical aspects of engineering systems to accommodate AgPV practices, to policy reforms that will support farmers and developers and beyond. By the end of the conference, one thing was clear: agrivoltaics will be an essential component to the continued proliferation of solar across the United States. The future is bright, and it starts with agrivoltaics! Here are three WINNERS and two LOSERS from the conference:
NORTH AMERICA'S AGRIVOLTAICS EXPO
WINNER
1. Solar Grazing. According to the USDA, there are over 400 million acres of permanent pasture lands in the United States. This is the largest type of farmland in the country, and is the lifeblood of farmers from California to Maine. What if solar and cattle grazing could work together—maximizing the potential of land, and benefitting cattle in the process? That’s exactly where grazing oriented agrivoltaics come in. Estimates vary on exactly how much land would be needed to power the United States on 100% renewable energy—but one thing is clear: solar and grazing will unlock an enormous amount of land for the renewable energy transition. And an added benefit? Animals love solar! Arrays act like built in shade structures on hot, sunny days. As the climate warms, protecting animals against extreme heat will become even more important, and solar + grazing can help meet this need. Happy and Healthy animals are an essential component of a successful farm operation, and solar can help provide these benefits. Field leaders like Anna Clare Monlezun (Colorado State University, Graze LLC) and Nick Armentrout (American Solar Grazers Association) provided deep insights into solar + grazing, demonstrating the strong momentum of this burgeoning practice. And the icing on the cake? The US DOE has just made $8.2 MILLION available for cattle agrivoltaics projects - Read about it here: https://www.energy.gov/articles/doe-announces-8-million-integrate-solar-energy-production-farming
LOSER
2. Strip Malls. Is solar really the biggest threat to farmland, like many critics seem to say? Based on the feedback of conference attendees, that answer is a decided no. The real threat, many farmers say, is losing farmland entirely—to other types of development, like strip malls, warehouses, etc. The economics of farming can be difficult. So much is dependent on uncontrollable variables, like weather, pests, and disease. These variables will get even harder to predict as the climate changes. For these reasons, many farmers must confront an unfortunate reality: continue with the potentially risky investment of farming in increasingly unstable conditions, or be forced to sell the land outright, to developers that will likely remove farmland and build more ‘stable’ assets, like warehouses and strip malls.
Enter AgPV.
By providing farmers with a stable, long-term source of revenue AND letting them continue to farm their land, solar provides an excellent hedge against financial uncertainty. With AgPV, more farmers will be able to hold onto their land, continue farming, and keep farmland…farmland for the long term. AgPV is the missing piece of this puzzle. At this year’s solar farm summit, farmers, policymakers, developers and community members alike, were in broad agreement that AgPV can function as a mechanism by which to preserve farmland, and keep other types of development from infringing on the rich natural and cultural heritage of America’s backbone.
Take a look at the Lightstar project portfolio for some great examples of dual-use and AgPV solar projects: https://www.lightstar.com/project-portfolio
WINNER
3. AgPV Researchers. If there is a group of folks that plays the starring role in turning AgPV from a niche concept into a widespread reality, it is the researchers and academics who have been working tirelessly to figure out how to make AgPV work, and make it work well. It’s not a secret that AgPV will lead to some different farming practices, and figuring out what works best has been (and will continue to be) essential to adoption of AgPV across the country. At this year’s conference, there were multiple research forums and talks, which highlighted the central role that academic work will play in the continued success of AgPV. Sessions included a forum dedicated to research on soil health in AgPV contexts, moderated by Austin Kinzer of American Farmland Trust, featuring speakers Juliana Isaac (Sol Systems), Dr. Kelsey Jensen (The Soil Inventory Project) and Michael Ricketts (Argonne National Laboratory), as well as an open poster gallery, which allowed researchers to exhibit their work and share their findings with the industry. Here’s one interesting finding: Did you know that some crops actually fare better when grown in AgPV arrays when compared with their traditional counterparts? This is especially true for leafy greens, like those in the brassica family (broccoli, kale, etc). Researchers have found that solar structures create a microclimate that some plants prefer. Cooler temperatures at midday and warmer temperatures at night help to regulate against extremes, leading to less stress and healthier plants. More great AgPV research, including detailed studies can be found through the Agrisolar Clearinghouse (https://www.agrisolarclearinghouse.org/). This resource should be an essential for any developer, farmer, or policy maker looking to get into the AgPV space.
WINNER
4. Engineering Innovation. Two things are true: First, humans have been farming for thousands of years, and we’ve gotten really good at it. From rotational planting to enhanced irrigation, humans are pretty good at engineering highly productive, efficient farms. Second, though we’ve been building solar arrays for a far shorter time, we’ve also gotten pretty darn good at that too. Thanks to a slew of technological innovations, solar has gotten more productive, more efficient, and worlds cheaper. So how do these two seemingly different uses work together? Enter the engineers. Lightstar’s own Allison Denunzio, P.E., has quickly established herself as a leader in the AgPV engineering space.
“We’ve taken our team’s deep experience with solar and converged it with the vast farming experience from outside consultants to come up with design standards that marry solar and agricultural production together. Whether the land owner is looking to continue haying a site or looking to move into a more market crop production, we have different standards to fill different land and farmer’s needs.”
After speaking on the panel “Agrivoltaics In Action, A Case Study Showcase,” Allison discussed Lightstar’s industry leading, proprietary design for AgPV projects. “We've taken our team's deep experience with solar and converged it with the vast farming experience from outside consultants to come up with design standards that marry solar and agricultural production together. Whether the land owner is looking to continue haying a site or looking to move into a more market crop production, we have different standards to fill different land and farmer's needs” Denunzio said. In addition, companies like SolarGik, a Solar Farm Summit 2024 sponsor, are developing AgPV specific hardware solutions that will benefit both solar and agriculture. In addition to hardware innovations, several groups are also working to develop optimization algorithms that will maximize solar production and crop yields.
LOSER
5. The Status Quo. If there is one major takeaway from the solar farm summit, it’s that the industry is thinking years, even decades, into the future. Those on the cutting edge realize that there are headwinds to development, and the only way to find success into the future is through innovation and compromise. AgPV fits squarely within these needs. By allowing farmers to continue being stewards of their land and the backbone of America, and providing them with a source of revenue that combats global climate change while strengthening energy independence, AgPV is uniquely positioned to be the exact kind of game changer that the solar industry needs.
The days of cookie cutter greenfield development have long been numbered, and continued political, economic, and environmental pressures will only make this more inevitable. With AgPV, diverse stakeholders have the opportunity to come together in a multifacted coalition that will benefit everyone involved. From farmers to developers to policymakers, and the environment at large, AgPV will usher in a new era of American agriculture and energy independence. The second annual Solar Farm Summit demonstrates that the time to stick to the status quo has come to an end—AgPV is the future of solar in the United States.
Till next time! Let’s hope we will all be “winners!”
Meet up with Kyle on the road, in your town! Kyle does a lot of traveling, visiting clients and farms all over the country - reach out and find out when he will be in your area!
Kyle McAdam, Development Manager
Kyle is available to speak about: local permitting, AgPV, interconnection, environmental considerations, policy. Contact Meghan Welborn, Director of Marketing & PR for press inquires and speaking enagagements for Kyle and the Lightstar team.
