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Raising Livestock And Crops Under Solar Panels

What are agrivoltaics?

Agrivoltaics refer to growing crops, building pollinator habitats or raising livestock underneath solar panels. It allows for renewable energy systems and agriculture to occur on the same piece of land.

What are the benefits?

Improve land use

Agrivoltaic systems can improve land use by allowing you to produce more energy and crops or livestock from a single piece of land than you would on separate land. Thus, agriculture and solar energy systems may benefit each other when they occur at the same site.

For example, certain cool-season crops may increase in yield when shaded by solar panels. Soil shaded by the panels may also retain more moisture. At the same time, the plants growing underneath the panels can help keep the panels cool and produce energy more efficiently.

Increase in farm income

Agrivoltaics can increase your income in several ways. For example, installing solar panels on your farmland to produce your own energy can decrease your farm’s energy expenses. You could also earn income by selling solar energy to an electric cooperative.

Source : umn.edu

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