Farmers are facing a new opportunity with the dual use of land for agriculture and solar energy production, known as agrivoltaics. Researchers at the University of Massachusetts Amherst have developed a set of analytical tools to help farmers determine if this approach is right for them. These tools consider factors like crop yield, financial implications, and practical considerations, providing farmers with the science to make an informed decision. With the U.S. government’s goal of covering 10.3 million acres of land with ground-mounted solar by 2050, understanding the potential of agrivoltaics is crucial. This blog post explores the new analysis tools and their ability to empower farmers to navigate this complex decision. Solar power, Agriculture
Uncovering the Complexities of Agrivoltaics
The dual use of land for agriculture and solar energy production, known as agrivoltaics, presents a new opportunity for farmers. However, determining whether this approach makes economic sense is a complex question. Researchers at the University of Massachusetts Amherst have developed a set of analytical tools to help farmers navigate this decision.
According to Jill Fitzsimmons, the lead author and research assistant professor of resource economics at UMass Amherst, “It’s a big, big decision.” The researchers wanted to create a tool that would allow farmers to “spitball whether solar is right for them” and help them and their support systems think about the practical considerations of pursuing agrivoltaics.
Empowering Farmers with Comprehensive Analysis Tools
The two spreadsheet-based tools developed by the researchers can be used together or separately to assist farmers, extension educators, and others in the sector. The tools are designed to estimate the costs, revenues, and yields from agricultural production under different solar configurations.
The spreadsheets consist of a crop-specific logbook to analyze farm-level activities and a whole-farm tool to calculate aggregate projections for trade-offs between crop production with or without agrivoltaics. These tools consider a wide range of factors, from different solar technologies and crop spacing to labor costs and extra fuel required to navigate farm equipment around solar panels. By providing a comprehensive analysis, the researchers aim to empower farmers to make informed decisions about incorporating utility-scale solar arrays into their farming operations.
Navigating the Opportunities and Challenges of Agrivoltaics
The U.S. Department of Energy has set a goal of covering 10.3 million acres of land with ground-mounted solar installations by 2050 to meet energy production targets. Agrivoltaic arrays are proposed as a way to help achieve these benchmarks. However, the potential effects of this approach on crop yield and farm finances are not yet fully understood.
According to Dwayne Breger, the director of the Clean Energy Extension and extension professor of environmental conservation at UMass Amherst, “Agrivoltaics—and farming itself—come in so many shapes and forms that there’s no one-size-fits-all answer as to whether solar is the right choice.” The researchers hope that by providing farmers with the science to decide if agrivoltaics is right for them, they can help navigate the opportunities and challenges of this emerging field.
