Largest Farm to Grow Crops Under Solar Panels Proves To Be A Bumper Crop For Agrivoltaic Land Use | Climate and Agriculture in the Southeast
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Largest Farm to Grow Crops Under Solar Panels Proves To Be A Bumper Crop For Agrivoltaic Land Use::undefined

      • fhqwgads@possumpat.ioEnglish
        43·
        9 months ago

        It’s a dodge since the farm mentioned is historic farmland. They aren’t allowed to stop farming and just put up solar.

        When Kominek approached Boulder County regulators about putting up solar panels, they initially told him no, his land was designated as historic farmland.

        In Kominek’s case, he literally bet the farm in order to finance the roughly $2 million solar arrays.

        “We had to put up our farm as collateral as well as the solar array as collateral to the bank,” he says. “If this doesn’t work, we lose the farm.”

        From: Original NPR story

        If anything it seems like a clever way around zoning. Reading between the lines it seems they view the crops as kind of a bonus, not half the point like the original article makes it seem.

    • frezik@midwest.socialEnglish
      10·
      9 months ago

      The plants provide a cooling effect, which makes solar more efficient. At the same time, plants are protected from hail and heavy rains. Water loss is reduced, as well. The shade isn’t necessarily a downside, as some plants prefer it.

    • Gabu@lemmy.worldEnglish
      94·
      9 months ago

      You mean the parking we should get rid of because cars ruin cities? Nah.