JuneSim63 💚Arizona's farmers have discovered agrivoltaics. This is a no brainer in such hot, dry areas.
"Some plants actually produced more with less water. Cowpea beans, for example – also known as black-eyed peas – had a higher crop yield when grown in the shade of solar panels. Full sun required twice as much water, it turned out"
#Agrivoltaics #Agriculture #SolarPanels #Drought #Heat #ClimateEmergency
Farmers turn to Solar Panels to shade Crops, Save Water and generate Power
https://www.juancole.com/2024/07/farmers-panels-generate.html
Farmers turn to Solar Panels to shade Crops, Save Water and generate Power
By Amaia J. Gavica/Cronkite News ( Cronkite News ) - WASHINGTON – For 31 straight days last summer, temperatures in Phoenix hit or topped 110 degrees, the longest such streak ever. That searing Arizona heat dehydrates crops and evaporates water the state needs to conserve. Creating shade is one way to combat the problem. By using solar panels, farmers can simultaneously protect their plants, save water and lower their energy bills – and some are doing just that with help from federal programs designed to encourage this sustainable method of growing. Photovoltaic panels are placed above the crops, harnessing the
Gurre Vildskägg
The_Sun