Results of a new study from Michigan State University suggest farmers no longer have to choose between growing crops and harnessing solar power. It finds they can do both on the same land.
The 25-year study of California farmland found farmers who added solar panels made more money per acre than those who didn’t. The research shows crops and solar work together, especially when panels are placed on low-yield acres, or spots that don’t grow as much food due to poor soil or too much shade.
MSU grad student Jake Stid, the report lead author, says farmers can also benefit through a system called Net Energy Metering, or NEM.
“Return structure where farmers can directly, in many cases, interconnect to the array so they can use the electricity to offset their own needs, as well as sell excess generation, excess electricity back to the utility for a discounted rate,” Stid said.
Some farmers expressed concern about solar panels shading crops, affecting growth and reducing yields.
Stid says he’s hoping to expand his research on solar arrays and food production nationwide, contributing to the ongoing debate among farmers on how to use land sustainably, without harming food production.
