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Recognizing outstanding achievements and excellence of built and operating projects advancing dual-use solar development.
Recognizing outstanding achievements and excellence in solar farming.
The Solar Farm of the Year Award recognizes an agrivoltaics project achieving exceptional advancements in growing vegetables, fruits, grains and other crops in agrivoltaic systems in the field. This singular award celebrates a solar farm that has gone beyond the successful adoption of agrivoltaics, inspiring broader impact and contributing exemplary best practices to the working knowledge of solar farming.
Broccoli | Hadley, Massachusetts
This project is what proper agrivoltaics will look like - combining commercial agriculture with commercial solar. Joe Czajkowski is a third generation Hadley farmer producing on over 400 acres in the Pioneer Valley. Half of the power generated from the 445kW DC array will support the farm, the other half is supporting 17 low income subscribers in Western Mass through PPAs. The project qualified for the MA SMART Program Low Income Community Solar standards and the MA SMART Program Agricultural Solar Tariff Generation Unit standards.
Going through multiple rounds of farm plan review, this project required ongoing collaboration between the farmer and the developer. It was designed in a manner that requires no input changes for Joe—he's still able to use all of his same equipment on the site, tractors and attachments included. Joe's able to prep the soil, plant the seasonal crop, cultivate, harvest, and plant a cover crop for overwinter just as he was prior to the array.
Joe and Hyperion have already filed 3 more interconnection applications for agrivoltaic projects in the Pioneer Valley just like this one, which speaks to the partnership built and the mutual trust shared.
Project Website:
https://hyperionsystemsllc.com/projects#9c0a8e90-d767-4da9-b4a1-e919dfe93c47
Watch:
Melons, Tomatoes & More to Come | Aurora, Oregon
Solar Harvest, a unique agrivoltaics research and community solar project, located at a university research farm just south of Portland, Oregon, is a one-of-a-kind agrivoltaics project designed specifically to produce research that will have the largest possible impact on large-scale farming and utility-scale solar. Its central location has allowed many farmers, solar developers and policy-makers to visit it, while local faith organizations and residents are receiving the power it generates through community solar. The project has generated a huge amount of interest from the community, with over 1,000 farmers, policy-makers and other visitors in its first summer, and educational initiatives bringing classes from local schools to the project to plant their own experiments.
Developed as a partnership between the Oregon Clean Power Cooperative and Oregon State University’s College of Agricultural Sciences, the project includes control areas where the crops planted in the solar array can be compared to the same plants grown in open fields a few feet away, allowing the sort of rigorous scientific comparisons not found in much agrivoltaics research. The research underway at Solar Harvest includes studies on soil compaction by farm equipment in solar arrays, as well as research on pollinators, soil-quality, and a study comparing different forage crops for sheep grazing. There is also a study using United Nations reference crops, allowing reliable predictions of many crops in solar arrays, and research on wildlife interactions in partnership with Argonne National Laboratory. And research on dry-land farming in solar arrays produced bumper crops of melons, tomatoes and other crops last summer.
Project Website:
http://oregoncleanpower.coop/solar-harvest/
In the News:
Cranberries | Plymouth, Massachusetts
The Black Cat Agrivoltaics Project is a true game-changer in sustainability. By seamlessly integrating solar panels with cranberry farming, it not only maximizes land usage but also generates clean energy. It's a win-win scenario: supporting agriculture, reducing reliance on fossil fuels, and even conserving water by providing shade to crops, thus optimizing water usage. With the recent addition of energy storage, this project takes its impact to the next level, ensuring reliable energy supply even during periods of low sunlight or high demand.
The ongoing Black Cat Agrivoltaics Project in Massachusetts is a shining example of how renewable energy and agriculture can work hand in hand, creating a win-win scenario for land productivity. By placing solar panels ten feet above the ground, this groundbreaking project allows for the cultivation of cranberries below while harnessing solar energy above, effectively making the most of the land for multiple purposes.
Initially designed as a 1 MW DC project by DEI, with the addition of energy storage, the Black Cat initiative is crafted to seamlessly integrate with existing farming methods. The energy storage system, boasting a rated power of 500 kVA and an installed energy capacity of 2700 kWh, features the Jinko DCB2700 battery. This advanced system enhances the project's ability to store excess solar energy for use during periods of low sunlight or high energy demand.
Placing the panels at an optimal height ensures that farmers can carry on with their usual equipment and practices without any disruptions, maintaining operational efficiency. DEI has also gone the extra mile to train its workforce meticulously, ensuring that crop cultivation remains undisturbed throughout the installation and maintenance phases.
What sets the Black Cat Project apart is its ability to blend renewable energy generation with agricultural sustainability seamlessly. By enabling cranberry growth beneath the solar arrays, this initiative not only contributes to clean energy production but also maximizes land usage without interfering with farming activities. It represents a forward-thinking approach to managing resources, where innovation benefits both the environment and local communities.
As the Black Cat Agrivoltaics Project progresses, it serves as a beacon of sustainable development, demonstrating the potential for synergy between agriculture and renewable energy. Through collaborative efforts and careful planning, this endeavor is paving the way for a greener, more resilient future in Massachusetts and beyond.
Addressing two crucial challenges facing society today—the need for sustainable energy solutions and the imperative to support agricultural practices amidst land constraints—the Black Cat Agrivoltaics Project embodies the spirit of innovation and collaboration needed to build a better tomorrow.
Project Website:
Squash, Lettuce, Cattle | Grafton, Massachusetts
Developed by BlueWave, AES' Grafton Solar project is a first-of-its-kind agrivoltaics project in Grafton, Massachusetts that combines crop cultivation, livestock farming, and solar energy production. The goal of the research at Grafton Solar is to understand how project design can make agricultural production at solar farms feasible and practical for more solar projects in the future.
Grafton Solar was designed with agricultural production and research in mind; the solar panels are elevated, with the low edge of the panels being a minimum of 10’6” above ground level, and there is larger spacing between the rows of panels, to allow for unencumbered access for farm equipment and cattle grazing. Such modifications from standard solar project design boost agricultural production opportunities, although also increase material and construction costs.
The Knowlton family has been managing a variety of crops at their farm in Grafton for over 150 years. Ensuring the viability of the farmland for the next generation is their priority and Paul Knowlton (the current operator of Knowlton Farms) works with consistent dedication to ensure the farm remains true to family tradition. Thanks to the Grafton Solar project, the Knowltons look forward to the potential of returning to full-time farming after a decades-long hiatus. Incorporating regenerative farming practices on site, combined with the financial benefits of solar, will pay future dividends for the farm both improving land quality and allowing for more crop output.
The Grafton Solar project is proud to serve as a research site trial for the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Energy Technology Office (SETO). Research partners University of Massachusetts Amherst and American Farmland Trust are working to establish site trials and assess crop productivity, soil health, and micro-climatic conditions, to generate insights that will increase understanding of the impact of co-locating agricultural crop production and solar. These research studies and partnerships are critical to AES’ leadership in advancing the industry’s understanding of both the challenges and the opportunities of incorporating agrivoltaics.
Project Website:
https://www.aes.com/massachusetts/project/grafton-solar
Vegetables + Pollinators | Big Lake & Ramsey, Minnesota
The synergy of immigrant communities, solar developers and contractors, and providers, alongside a dedication to cultivating healthy soil and nurturing pollinator-friendly habitats, has brought to fruition the vision of Big River Farms (a part of The Food Group), a Minnesota based non-profit supporting immigrant farmers who are new to the US in finding stable long term access to land.
Support from Mortenson Construction provided the grant to cover the initial program costs. US Solar and Connexus Energy offered land within their existing solar arrays that have been supporting native pollinator habitat for several years. The soil on these arrays has been enriched by the micronutrients and minerals that native plant species contribute into the soil each year, providing an extremely welcoming environment for all the vegetables and fruits planned and planted.
Critical collaboration between key individuals (Sophia Lenarz-Coy, KaZoua Berry, Sarah Woutat, Colleen Hollinger, Rob Davis, Jordan Macknick and Peter Schmitt) who understood the resources within the solar industry and had compassion to respond to the needs of immigrant farmers, helped integrate long term commitments for the land each year. This consistency is critical for farmers building healthy soil for organic crops. All the remaining native pollinator-friendly acres within the solar arrays continue to contribute to the success of these garden plots by attracting and hosting the native insects needed to pollinate the vegetables and fruits.
In early September 2023, Connexus Energy hosted a celebration completing its pilot year, featuring a shared meal showcasing produce from the farm plots. These collaborative pilot solar sites now embark on their second year, steadfast in their commitment to providing long-term, secure land access for immigrant farmers, enabling them to sustain their families through their cherished livelihood of farming.
Project Website:
https://www.thefoodgroupmn.org/farmers/
https://www.us-solar.com/agrivoltaics
In the News:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/agrisolarclearinghouse/albums/72177720312677049/with/53329462757
Recognizing outstanding achievements and excellence in solar ranching.
The Solar Ranch of the Year Award recognizes an agrivoltaics project making extraordinary progress pairing livestock grazing with solar power generation. This singular award celebrates a solar ranch that has gone beyond the incorporation of livestock, inspiring broader impact and contributing exemplary best practices to the working knowledge of agrivoltaic systems harnessing both solar power and animal power.
Sheep | Oberlin, Ohio
In rural Ohio we are proving that solar PV and grazing livestock can use the same space to produce more together than they could by themselves. Renewable energy development does not negate the ability to produce food on rural farmland in Ohio.
Oberlin College has committed to carbon neutrality by 2025. We are electrifying the campus and we are producing renewable energy onsite. In maintaining our solar assets we determined that grazing sheep is not only a financial incentive compared to gas mowers, but there are a host of other benefits. Less emissions, higher quality vegetation removal, greater output from the land, positive publicity, etc. Sheep replacing mowers has only positive benefits. Now that we completed a full season and found it to be a great success, we are looking into what else we can work into this symbiotic relationship. We are looking at chickens and bees as potential next steps as well as an expansion of our existing solar array to meet more energy needs.
Project Website:
https://www.oberlin.edu/environmental-sustainability/programs/agrivoltaics
Carbon reduction project:
https://carbonneutral.oberlin.edu/
Sheep Owners:
Sheep | Biscoe, North Carolina
The Montgomery Sheep Farm demonstrates how solar farms can be designed and operated to accommodate agriculture, agritourism and rural hospitality.
The idea for the Montgomery Sheep Farm started when Sun Raised Farms began working with solar developer O2 emc (O2) to design and layout a 28 Megawatt solar farm in the middle of North Carolina. Sun Raised Farms consulted for the solar farm developer in how the racking, inverter pads, external and internal fencing and other equipment should be laid out to maximize the usability of the site for livestock grazing. Sun Raised Farms also provided critical design input to maximize access to water from anywhere on the farm, to select the proper seeding and soil amendments for the soil type, and to assist in the design of erosion mitigation measures before, during, and after construction.
Previous to the construction of the solar farm, the property was not used for agriculture, but after the solar farm was completed, the 200 acres became home to more than 500 sheep, great pyrenees, chickens, turkeys, geese, peacocks, ponies and other farm animals. After a visit to a Sun Raised Farms meeting with its farmers at the Montgomery Sheep Farm, Lexie Hain founded the American Solar Grazing Association. Sharing what she learned with her network, she was able to create an organization which furthers the opportunity for grazing on solar farms across the country.
The Montgomery Sheep Farm has been certified as an Animal Welfare Approved (AWA) farm by A Greener World (AGW) and is audited each year for compliance. The 106,000 solar modules on 123 acres of the 200 acre farm generate more than enough energy to power the entire town during daylight hours. However, the Montgomery Sheep Farm also offers a retreat for families, companies, and organizations who can use the cozy farm lodge for events, dinners, and other gatherings. A guest cabin and lodge provide guests the opportunity to stay on a real working farm, learn about clean energy, sustainable agriculture and clean food.
In the spring and fall, Sun Raised Foods, who provides a market for the sheep raised on the Montgomery Sheep Farm, hosts true farm to table dinners on the farm itself featuring lamb dishes, local vegetables, fine wines and a sense of community. While the power generated on the solar farm is sold to the local utility, all facilities on the farm are powered by a separate micro-distribution grid. This allows the farm and its operations to operate truly independent from the electrical grid. The micro-distribution grid uses its own solar array placed on a carport and the roof of the farm lodge, combined with Tesla batteries, to generate the power needed for all agricultural, residential and hospitality operations on the farm.
Read and watch to learn more about Sun Raised Foods.
Project website: www.montgomerysheepfarm.com
Sheep | Elko, Georgia
The Houston Solar Farm and Lambing Barn is a direct result of Silicon Ranch’s long-term approach to solar and its commitment to square corners and ongoing improvement in our role as a renewable energy producer, community member, and land steward, all under our model of long-term ownership. This project aims to redress the two biggest challenges to grazing sheep on solar farms in the Southeast: 1) not enough sheep and shepherds, due to a huge decline in the overall number of sheep in the United States over the last century, and 2) the susceptibility of American sheep to parasites found in the Southeast as a result of national flock genetics that adapted over time for drier climates.
In 2018, we launched our holistic approach to designing, building, and operating our projects in alignment with natural systems, Regenerative Energy®, in recognition of our opportunity and responsibility to be excellent stewards of the thousands of acres of land we own, and of the solar industry’s responsibility for the millions of acres of land it would occupy in the coming years.
Our projected growth of this flock is critical to our, and our industry’s, ability to implement regenerative grazing to restore land health across more of our solar farmland, in alignment with our commitment to demonstrating excellent land stewardship. Our investment in the expertise and infrastructure now in place at the Houston Solar Farm also means additional important benefits for the community in Houston County, Georgia where the project is located. These benefits include new career opportunities in a newly burgeoning local agricultural economy for rural young people, who we employ and train in regenerative land management and increased revenues and employment for local businesses.
As this agricultural renaissance is taking place in Houston County, the solar panels at the Houston Solar Farm are providing clean, affordable, and renewable energy to the community. The project is an expansion of the collaboration between Silicon Ranch and Green Power EMC, which works on behalf of the state’s Electric Membership Corporations to source renewable energy alternatives for citizens of Georgia. The power generated is distributed across multiple locations in Georgia and generates enough power to help serve approximately 11,000 Georgia households annually.
The Houston Solar Farm also contributes significant tax revenues to the local tax base in Houston, which in turn benefits local public services, including public schools. Through this solar project, Silicon Ranch has invested $110 million+ in Houston County and the corporation will pay out more than $8 million in new tax revenue over the entire lifetime of the project that can be applied to community identified priorities.
Silicon Ranch’s Regenerative Energy® platform and our work at Houston Solar Farm to deliver a first-of-its-kind, solar company built, owned, and operated lambing barn are not only benefiting our company, our projects, our flocks, and the land we own. These efforts are improving the genetics and production of flocks across the country, helping to rebuild and strengthen the sheep industry in the United States, and providing new opportunities for family farms and aspiring ranchers. As our senior operations manager of Regenerative Energy and Land Management at Silicon Ranch, Jim Malooley, says, “We’re making a lasting impact on the sheep industry and in the communities we operate in. We’re teaching how to farm under panels. I love farming and I appreciate the need for clean energy—we have the opportunity to do both.”
Houston Solar, Investing in local communities and the future of agriculture: https://vimeo.com/864820556
Sheep | Charles City, Virginia
Bringing ranching back to the community, the Skipjack solar project in Charles City Virginia has been utilizing sheep grazing for vegetation management since 2021.
The Skipjack solar project generates more than 350,000 megawatt hours of clean, fuel-free, solar energy annually. The site is one of the first projects to incorporate dual-use innovations, combining solar and agriculture in Virginia through the incorporation of sustainable land maintenance with sheep and goat grazing. Our partners that manage the grazing utilize targeted grazing and integrative vegetation management that ensures best practices in land stewardship. This innovative approach generates both clean energy and supports continued agricultural activity, while providing an additional source of revenue in the community.
Links:
https://nkccnews.com/community/2022/11/08/skipjack-solar-facility-opens-in-charles-city-county/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MqF378Gcg40
https://hub.jhu.edu/2022/08/03/skipjack-solar-center-now-operating/
Recognizing outstanding achievements and excellence in ecovoltaics.
The Solar Ecosystem of the Year Award recognizes an ecovoltaics project making exceptional strides synergizing solar energy and ecosystem services. This singular award celebrates a dual-use project that not only successfully combines solar power generation with environmental conservation and ecological function, but establishes new benchmarks for the integration of beneficial vegetation, wildlife and ecosystem services into solar energy systems.
Pollinators | Hinesburg, Vermont
Magee Hill was Vermont’s first large scale pollinator-friendly solar project. Developed and constructed for the Vermont Electric Cooperative on former agricultural land, this 1.7MWp array demonstrated that solar projects in Vermont can provide vital ecosystem services like pollinator habitat while delivering renewable energy to the local community. In the years since its commissioning, it has continued to serve as a model for how solar sites can benefit surrounding ecosystems. It fostered a partnership between native beekeepers and Encore Renewable Energy that has led to multiple other pollinator-friendly sites across the state. Encore continues to be a leader in agrivoltaics, pledging in 2020 that each project they develop will benefit from dual land use in some way.
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Of the 17 species of bumblebee recorded in Vermont 25 years ago, only ten remain and seven of which are endangered. All around the country, insect populations have plummeted as the built environment consumes critical habitat alongside habitat lost to climate change. As we seek to move to a more localized food production system, it will be critical to ensure the health of all pollinator species to ensure long term resilient food production from our agricultural lands. That’s why when Mike Kiernan, founder of Bee the Change, approached Encore Renewable Energy back in 2016 with the idea of planting pollinator-friendly ground cover underneath a solar site, the company knew they had to get involved. Those conversations led to Vermont’s first large-scale pollinator-friendly solar site, Magee Hill.
Founded as an impact-driven company and eventually becoming certified as a B-Corp, satisfying the triple bottom line of people, planet and profit has always been important to Encore. Leading the charge for pollinator-friendly solar in New England benefits that triple bottom line in multiple ways. Firstly, a blend of native and pollinator-attracting plants provide vital habitat for endangered species. Secondly, those pollinators disperse their impact into the surrounding community, benefiting farmers, gardeners and the community at large. Pollinator friendly ground cover also improves the aesthetics of solar projects, creating better compromise between project developers and neighbors. Lastly, planting pollinator friendly ground cover can actually lead to a cost savings over time, because mowing services are no longer required.
Over five years after commissioning, Magee Hill continues to prove the widespread benefits of pollinator friendly solar. According to data from Bee the Change, Magee Hill saw a more than 2500% increase in pollinator species in the first five years after it was planted. Across Encore sites in Vermont, Bee the Change has observed pollinator species that haven’t been seen in the state for decades. Thanks to this project, dozens more pollinator-friendly solar sites now exist across Vermont. Magee Hill Solar’s success established an industry setting precedent for the wide-scale deployment of pollinator-friendly ground cover across the Green Mountain State. The project, under new ownership, is now in the process of transitioning to a sheep grazing model, keeping its pioneering agrivoltaic spirit alive.
This project, beyond being the first pollinator-friendly solar project in Vermont, was also the catalyst for Encore’s ultimate decision as a company to incorporate agrivoltaics into every project they develop going forward.
Project website: https://encorerenewableenergy.com/project/vermont-electric-cooperative-hinesburg/
Additional Links:
https://hinesburgrecord.org/back-stories/how-bee-the-change-could-be-the-change-we-need/ https://vimeo.com/928396220?share=copy
Pollinators + Sheep | Locust Grove, Virginia
The Spotsylvania solar project stands today as an impressive project contributing substantial value to the local ecosystem – with significant acreage designated as conserved land, supporting biodiversity through the use of pollinator habitats and native landscaping, and integrating sheep grazing for sustainable land maintenance. The project has welcomed classrooms full of students over the years to learn more about the project and how it is supplying the increased demand from data center customers in the region, and supporting the Commonwealth’s clean energy transition.
The Spotsylvania Solar Energy Center in Spotsylvania, Virginia is truly remarkable for several reasons:
Project video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cur-v-dIdBw
Links:
https://colonial-materials.com/portfolio/energy/spotsylvania-solar/
Pollinators | Rush & Henry Counties, Indiana
Bellflower Solar and esteemed collaborators stand as an exemplar of holistic conservation and sustainability efforts. Recognizing the urgent need to address pollinator population decline, the project has undertaken a multifaceted approach to create vital habitats for these crucial species. Through the establishment of ten acres of diverse pollinator gardens and seeding over 800 acres with native grasses and clover, the project fosters habitat connectivity and biodiversity.
Integral to the project's success is the integration of sustainable agricultural practices within the solar farm ecosystem. Beekeeping initiatives, facilitated by repurposed materials, support honey production and local beekeepers, while managed sheep grazing promotes soil health and vegetation management. These efforts not only enhance ecological resilience but also provide supplementary income opportunities for local farmers.
The project's commitment to scientific rigor is evident through its participation in the PHASE study, which monitors and evaluates the impact of these initiatives on vegetation, biodiversity, and pollinator behavior. By advancing knowledge and demonstrating tangible outcomes, the project sets a precedent for innovative and responsible land management practices within the renewable energy sector.
The collaborative efforts of Bellflower Solar and its partners represent a transformative approach to sustainable land management. Through the creation of pollinator habitats, integration of sustainable agriculture, and rigorous scientific evaluation, the project exemplifies a harmonious coexistence between renewable energy production and biodiversity conservation.
Read more about it!
Pollinators | Kandiyohi and Blue Earth Counties, Minnesota
For over a decade now, the dynamic team at Argonne National Laboratory has been digging into how to develop siting and design solutions to facilitate solar energy deployment while protecting environmental resources. The groundbreaking research conducted by researchers from Argonne National Laboratory and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory over five years has revealed remarkable insights into the ecological value of solar energy sites integrated with native plant restoration. Its most recent published work observed rapid increases in habitat and biodiversity metrics at Enel Green Power North America's solar energy facilities in Minnesota, and found that, by the end of the 5-year study, total insect abundance had tripled, and native bees showed a 20-fold increase in numbers!
The project's innovative approach involved planting native grasses and wildflowers between photovoltaic solar arrays on rehabilitated agricultural land in southern Minnesota. Through meticulous observations and data collection, the researchers uncovered significant positive changes in both plant and insect biodiversity metrics. The solar-pollinator habitats not only saw increases in native plant species diversity and flower abundance but also witnessed a remarkable surge in insect populations, including agriculturally beneficial species like honeybees and native bees.
Moreover, the study's findings demonstrated the invaluable role of habitat-friendly solar energy in biodiversity conservation and land-use optimization. By extending pollination services to adjacent crop fields, the solar-pollinator habitats showcased their potential to enhance agricultural productivity while safeguarding insect populations. This innovative approach not only mitigates land-use conflicts associated with solar energy development on agricultural lands but also offers a sustainable solution to offset habitat loss and support ecosystem resilience.
The implications of this research extend far beyond its immediate findings. It paves the way for future advancements in habitat-friendly solar energy practices, offering a promising solution to address pressing environmental challenges.
Read all about it!
https://www.enelgreenpower.com/stories/articles/2019/04/solar-energy-new-model-land-use
2024 North American Agrivoltaics Awards
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