Harvesting sun and soil - the future of agrivoltaics
Steven Loheide, a professor of civil and environmental engineering at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, is leading a research effort into the opportunities when of combining solar energy with agriculture.
Loheide’s focus is on agrivoltaics, which involves integrating solar panels into farming systems to produce both renewable energy and crops.
"Ultimately, the idea here is to try to have the land do double duty," says Loheide. "That is, to produce energy that can sustainably meet demand, while also being able to feed a growing global population."
Loheide and his team are conducting their research on a 15-acre solar farm located at the UW-Madison Kegonsa Research Campus. This facility provides a practical setting for studying the environmental and hydrological effects of solar panel installation in agricultural settings.
A key area of investigation is how solar panels affect soil moisture.
"There are two primary ways solar panels affect hydrologic processes," explains Loheide. "The first is that they’re impermeable, so any water hitting them is redirected toward the ‘drip line,’ where you then have a concentration of water hitting the ground. That can push soil moisture deeper toward the groundwater or cause more runoff if there’s too much for the ground to take in at once. The second way is that plants growing in a solar panel’s shadow get a lot less sun and therefore have less energy to transpire. Because of that, they use less water."
The team is evaluating both fixed and sun-tracking solar panels to compare their impacts. Fixed panels offer consistent shade, while sun-tracking panels provide varying light levels, which can affect the types of crops that grow beneath them.
"There’s no one-size-fits-all approach," Loheide states. "The optimal configuration depends on factors like climate, soil type, and the specific crops being grown."
In areas like Wisconsin, where sunlight is more limited, agrivoltaics offers a promising solution. By selecting the right crops and positioning the solar panels appropriately, farmers can enhance both energy production and crop yields.
Loheide’s research could offering a way to combine clean energy production with sustainable agriculture for more resilient landscapes.
Photo Credit: istock-simplycreativephotography