In turn, this meant irrigation could be cut by half, and temperature conditions for workers, or livestock if present, improved, with skin temperatures recorded as 20☏ cooler under the panels. This shade is also beneficial to livestock in the heat, and can help to protect them from harsh weather in winter too.Īccording to a study conducted by the University of Arizona, evaporation in tomatoes, peppers, cilantro and onions was cut by 50% due to the cooler temperatures below the panels. With dual-use farming, solar modules produce electricity, while providing optimal sunshine and shade for the crops underneath, reducing heat stress and water loss. This method, also referred to as co-locating, can yield impressive results when done correctly and using the right technology.
Dual-use farming occurs when elevated PV systems are installed on farmland where crops are cultivated, or where livestock grazes underneath. With about 14 GW of global capacity installed as of 2021, Agri-PV offers the means to drastically reduce electricity bills with clean, renewable energy while increasing crop yields and balancing competing land interests. Agri-PV, where both a PV installation and agricultural activities coexist on the same piece of land, is increasingly seen as a viable solution for sustainable land use, without being detrimental to crop yields or solar production. However, agrisolar can also be used for so much more. Rooftop installations on barns, sheds and other farm structures are used to generate free power for driving irrigation pumps and other critical systems or for selling to the local utility. Agriculture was one of the earliest industries to adopt solar photovoltaic (PV) energy.
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