The idea of combining solar with farming is revolutionizing how we look at farmland and the economics of farming and ranching. We explore how solar + farming is increasing the productivity and the viability of farms. 

Agrivoltaics

Community Leagues are taking climate action to neighbourhoods all over Edmonton, Alberta.  About 50 of these local volunteer groups are taking action on climate change. This week on Green Energy Futures we talk to Laura Cunningham-Shelpeley of the Edmonton Federation of Community Leagues about so-called Green Leagues. 
Green Energy Futures CKUA Radio Video Podcast
www.greenenergyfutures.ca

325. Green Leagues Bringing Climate Action to the Hoods

The Bow Valley Green Energy Cooperative in Canmore, Alberta has just wrapped up its fourth solar project in just a few years. This is blazing fast progress for green energy cooperatives in Canada that must navigate a network of challenging provincial electrical systems.
We talk to Jeff Roberts about the coops success getting started in the shadow of the Rocky Mountains in Alberta.

362. Bow Valley Green Energy Coop Takes Flight

Of the 466,000 oil and gas wells in Alberta on third are active and 170,000 are suspended or abandoned. What to do? Keith Hirsche was a farm kid from Taber, Alberta and his company RenuWell wrapped up two pilot projects to transform a couple of long-abandoned well sites into small solar farms which are now owned by St. Mary's Irrigation District. We visit the sites with Daryl Bennett from RenuWell and discover one of the most amazing examples of energy transition anywhere. 
GreenEnergyFutures.ca CKUA.com Podcast

In part 2 we talk to Trevor Hellwig of St. Mary's Irrigation District the folks who own these two projects. Turns out solar and irrigation are a perfect match.

370. RenuWell - Transforming abandoned oil wells into solar farms - Part 1

Solar plus farming, called Agrivoltaics is helping farmers generate new sources of income, keep the family farm viable and keep farming in the solar farm. We meet up with farmer, former oil and gas guy and current renewable energy developer Claude Mindorf at the Joffre Solar Farm in Alberta to talk about agrivoltaics. 

It turns out Canada could produce all of its electricity from renewable energy that would occupy less than 1% of farmland and enhance the viability of farming itself at the same time. 
GreenEnergyFutures.ca CKUA.com Video Podcast

382A. Agrivoltaics, Keeping the farm in the solar farm

Farmer Shawn Morton just said "no" the first time he was approached by solar developers. But Morton found an ally in Claude Mindorff a farmer who was working for the solar company. So he cut a deal to lease 300 acres to a solar project and to keep grazing and farming that land in the lease. It's called Agrivoltaics, or the integration of solar with farming or grazing and Shawn says it just might be the thing that can help keep his 100-year family farm in the family. 
GreenEnergyFutures.ca CKUA.com Podcast
Blog GreenEnergyFutures.ca

382B. Agrivoltaics - Saving the family farm by integrating solar and farming

Janna Greir and her partner Ryan always loved the idea of ranching, living in the country, and operating a small farm, but becoming a first-generation farmer is nearly impossible these days.
That is until she discovered the combination of sheep and solar. The family had a dozen sheep until she landed a contract with Capital Power to manage the vegetation on their Strathmore Solar Farm. Janna has become an expert in vegetation management since then and the land is now much more productive and her flock has grown to more than 1,000 sheep on this one site alone.
Not only has Janna grown her flock significantly, she is also doing consulting work to help others do the same. Her experience points to a bright future for farming and solar.

Part 1 in a 2-part series.
GreenEnergyFutures CKUA.com Video Podcast
BLOG at GreenEnergyFutures.ca

394A. Solar and Sheep - First generation farmer builds thriving operation by combining the two

In part 2 of our Solar & Sheep series first generation farmer Janna Greir adds Kunekune pigs to her solar & sheep farm. It turns out these cute little oinkers are symbiotic with the sheep. They eat parasites and worms left behind by the sheep thus interrupting their lifecycle keeping the sheep healthier. 
www.GreenEnergyFutures.ca www.CKUA.com Podcast
Full story https://greenenergyfutures.ca/episode/394-first-generation-farmer-janna-greir-builds-thriving-operation-by-combining-sheep-and-solar
Be sure to check our part 1 and 
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394B. Janna Greir adds Kunekune pigs to her thriving Solar & Sheep operation

This week on CKUA Radio's Green Energy Futures episode EnergieSprong means "Energy Leap." The idea is to retrofit every single building in the Netherlands to a net-zero standard by 2050. Sound crazy? It's early days, but they have already begun the work and it's a real game changer.  Learn more in our blog: http://www.greenenergyfutures.ca/episode/the-sprong-has-sprung

164. EnergieSprong - Making the leap to all net-zero super energy efficiency homes

This week on CKUA's Green Energy Futures podcast, we look at the ongoing push to add EnerGuide ratings to homes so buyers know what they are getting. See story and photos: http://www.greenenergyfutures.ca/episode/165-energuide

165. EnerGuide – The missing ingredient label for an energy efficiency home

This week on CKUA's Green Energy Energy Futures we visit Landmark Home's new affordable net-zero home just as they put the "0" gigajoule EnerGuide label on the home. As net-zero becomes affordable will solar-powered net-zero homes become the norm? We think they might! See video, blog and photos: http://www.greenenergyfutures.ca/episode/affordable_net-zero

168(b) Will affordable net-zero homes become the new norm?

PACE financing has generated $3.4 billion worth of energy efficiency and renewable energy projects on buildings in the U.S. Brian Scott and Leigh Bond believe it could be the key to unleashing a wave of projects in Alberta. This week on CKUA's Green Energy Futures we talk to Scott and Bond about financing clean energy in Alberta. http://www.greenenergyfutures.ca/episode/pace-financing-produced-3-4-billion-energy-efficiency-projects-u-s

169. PACE financing key to stimulating energy efficiency and renewable energy projects

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A feature length radio documentary about urban sustainability. 

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Three Nations Energy, a community-owned company in Fort Chipewyan, Alberta built a 2.2-megawatt solar project to replace 25% of the diesel-generated electricity in their remote off-grid community. The company is equally owned by Athabasca Chipewyan and Mikisew Cree First Nations and the Fort Chipewyan Metis Association. See blog: www.greenenergyfutures.ca

265. Indigenous-owned Solar for Diesel in Fort Chipewyan

The CKUA Radio podcast of the GreenEnergyFutures.ca series. The multi-media series is hosted by David Dodge and tells the inspiring stories of Canadians involved in the green energy revolution.

382A. Agrivoltaics, Keeping the farm in the solar farm

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