Farmers can benefit from solar energy in several ways—by leasing farmland for solar; installing a solar system on a house, barn, or other building; or through agrivoltaics. At Advanced Energy Systems, we've successfully helped businesses navigate the USDA REAP program for rural solar projects while delivering high-performance solar energy solutions. A prime example of our expertise is the 309 kW solar electric system we completed for Stoller Winery in 2016. This. With their reflective, smooth glass sheen, stiff metal posts, and electric wiring, you might be surprised to learn that solar fields can be sites of thriving biodiversity, regenerative agriculture, and community bonding. Three years ago, when representatives from the U. Agrivoltaics is defined as agriculture, such as crop production, livestock grazing, and pollinator habitat, located underneath. Clean Energy to Communities (C2C) has helped numerous communities plan for and implement agrivoltaic systems, and technical assistance providers at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) are working to share key learnings from those projects with other communities looking to follow in. Communities can gain energy independence, minimize outages during natural disasters and reduce energy burden on low-income residents, all while advancing climate and sustainability goals. More local leaders and planners are discovering that solar development is not synonymous with urban development. According to the American Farmland Trust's (AFT) Farms Under Threat: 2040 analysis, there is potential that 83% of solar built by 2040 will be sited on farmland within the United States. 1 Without intervention, this landscape-scale change could have major impacts on the future of farming and food.
