M-Democrats-BLMJul 22, 2023
Osma A 🇫🇮🇺🇦

No need to clear new land for solar power. Panels can coexist with agriculture, and even help it since many crops thrive in partial shade and/or benefit from water retention under the panels.

“Maize is grown by about 50% of farmers in Tanzania. Maize is also a sun loving plant. So the fact that we had an 11% yield increase in maize [under solar panel arrays] is a phenomenal result,” he said.

#solar #renewables #agriculture https://apnews.com/article/climate-beer-solar-panels-hops-germany-ee3d00a1877837eb85053335e3b68a00

Hops for beer flourish under solar panels. They're not the only crop thriving in the shade.

A farm in Bavaria is covering its hops with solar panels, providing electricity to 250 households and shading the plants from the increasingly scorching summer heat in the process. Solar panels atop crops has been gaining traction in recent years. As incentives and demand for clean energy skyrocket, researchers look into making the best use of the land, and farmers seek ways to shield their crops from blistering heat. The team in Germany says its effort is the first agrivoltaic project that’s solely focused on hops, but projects have sprouted around the world in several countries for a variety of different grains, fruits and vegetables.

AP News
Jul 22, 2023 at 7:13amWeb
Show threadFrances_Larina 🏳️‍⚧️Jul 22, 2023

@osma

For some crops, yes. But also every large parking lot should be roofed with panels. It's land that's already ruined for anything else and parking under a roof reduces the cooling needs of cars on hot days. And then someday when we have adequate public transportation the land can be reused for something else.

Show threadOsma A 🇫🇮🇺🇦Jul 22, 2023
@Frances_Larina
And, not but. It should be mandatory though to cover parking with solar panels. Even here in the North, the summer production would easily justify install costs, and snow management wouldn't be any harder - who knows, perhaps easier once the techniques develop.
Show threadFrances_Larina 🏳️‍⚧️Jul 23, 2023

@osma

There are panels above the snow line here in California that pivot down to a sharp angle for snow season & then have to be raised back up to the proper angle for the rest of the year. It's a simple solution and since it's only twice a year, the wear & tear on the cables is I assume not significant.

Show threadElena ``of Valhalla''Jul 22, 2023
@Frances_Larina @osma Indeed, panels on agricultural land are a case of “can be done in a good way, but not in all cases”, panels on parking lots, but also waiting areas for public transport, etc. are more a case of “yes.”.
Show threadSaphire LatticeJul 23, 2023
@Frances_Larina @osma parking lots in USA are severely overbuilt based on a theoretical maximum... That's pulled out of data with R2 of uh.. less than a percent
Show threadSaphire LatticeJul 23, 2023

@Frances_Larina @osma in most other places I think parking lots are not that bad? Though might be wrong

They do take a lot of space either way, but solar panels on a parking lot sounds prone to people messing with them, plus infrastructure...

Dunno though. Could work if done carefully

Show threadFrances_Larina 🏳️‍⚧️Jul 23, 2023

@saphire @osma

Putting panel arrays over parking lots is frequently done here in California. They're high enough that it would be difficult for anyone to mess with them, plus it's typically done in business park environments. Offices, hospitals, schools, that sort of thing.

Show threadLemniscateJul 22, 2023
@osma I read something in a similar vein about citrons in Italy earlier this year: https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20230424-how-agrivoltaics-helped-save-italys-citron-and-lemon-trees
The Italian farmers saving an ancient fruit with solar power

The citron of southern Italy had almost died out from extreme weather and lack of economic value. But growing the crop under solar panels revolutionised the way the fruit is farmed.

BBC
Show threadBrandon TrujilloJul 22, 2023
@osma they should also be installed all over the Southwestern US above irrigation water ways.
Show threadPaul ShreadJul 22, 2023
@osma growing crops to make booze doesn't seem like a good use of farmland as the planet heats up
Show threadTopKnotJul 22, 2023

@osma

Very cool. Thanks for posting the link.

Show threadEdelruth, PBS Passport HolderJul 22, 2023

@osma

Plus, California, for example, could run LA just from solar paneling the canals, plus reduce water loss through evaporation. Win/win (sorry, read it yesterday, don't remember in what).

Show threadOsma A 🇫🇮🇺🇦Jul 22, 2023
@Edelruth
This isn't new, bit discusses the topic.
https://www.kcrw.com/news/shows/greater-la/water-climate-oc/solar-canals
CA solar canals could help fix 2 climate problems at once | Greater LA

California needs to save more water and create more renewable energy. A new solar panel project on exposed water canals will bring a lot of both.

KCRW
Show threadElena ``of Valhalla''Jul 22, 2023
@osma OTOH, afaik there are a lot of cases where what look like solar panels taking over agricultural land and making it non-usable are actually cases of agricultural land that is being rotated with periods of rest, and this way will still provide some revenue (hopefully for the farmers), but the panels will be moved elsewhere in the next season / year.
Show threadBruce Heerssen Jul 22, 2023
@osma
Parking lots are also great sites for PV arrays, as they can provide shelter and shade for vehicles.
Show threadMikael OdhageJul 22, 2023
@osma And this from Frauenhofer
ise.fraunhofer.de/de/leittheme…
Agri-Photovoltaik - Fraunhofer ISE

Agri-Photovoltaik (Agri-PV) bezeichnet ein Verfahren zur gleichzeitigen Nutzung landwirtschaftlicher Flächen für Nahrungsmittelproduktion und PV-Stromerzeugung.

Fraunhofer-Institut für Solare Energiesysteme ISE
Show threadDanaBlankenhornJul 22, 2023
@osma You can also put panels under America's huge parking lots.
Show threadBMezJul 22, 2023
@osma Yep, we do this. Our array is in one of the sheep paddocks, it's become their 2nd favorite one! We probably don't have the right panels or angle to grow crops in that spot, but are experimenting with potatoes elsewhere to see how different amounts of shade impact their growth. If we do another set, it might be over one of the big potato beds.
Show threadEarthworm 🐌Jul 22, 2023

@bmez

Oh, please keep us updated! 🐏🐑🌞⚡💡

Show threadChrisUJul 22, 2023

@osma

I believe in S Korea they have put solar panels over a bikeway in the median of a freeway.

Show threadDec [{()}]Jul 23, 2023
@osma
PVA: Photo Voltaic Ale
Show threadMikael OdhageAug 21, 2023
@osma @greensquad
Show threadhackbyte Antifa (friendica) 13HB1Aug 21, 2023
@mikaelodhage @osma #AgriSolar is the hastag you maybe wanna look for. ;)