There is a lot of solar being sited in Wisconsin with some projects reaching a pretty massive scale. The traditional narrative has been hello solar, goodbye agriculture, however a new crop of farmers, researchers, and solar companies are thinking differently: how can we continue to farm this land between, under, and around solar panels? Steffen Mirsky from Extension's Cutting Edge Podcast joins us as we talk with Sarah Moser, director of agrivoltaics with Savion, a utility-scale solar developer, and Eric Romich, Extension Field Specialist in Energy Development with the Ohio State University about their current and future projects investigating how to grow and mechanically harvest hay under solar in Ohio.

Photo taken by Tobi Kellner and used under https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

Episode 11: Farming + Solar = Agrivoltaics

Agrivoltaics is a set of practices that allow photovoltaic energy production and agricultural production to coexist on the same land, at the same time. In the current context of fluctuating energy bills, the solutions proposed by the solar power industry are beginning to gain more traction in Europe’s agriculture sector.

But there’s much still that’s unclear – and this appears to be cause for hesitation. What impact do solar panels have on yields? Are photovoltaic solutions adapted to all types of culture and breeding? How should we supervise this nascent, but promising, sector so that farming does not become sacrified on the altar of solar power?

The 37th epsiode of Food for Europe travels to France, an agrivoltaics pionneer, to meet Benoît Bougler, a farmer from Picardy who hosts one of the first solar panel installations above a cereal crop. 

Cédric Cogniez, head of agricultural partnerships for one of France's leading solar energy producers, TSE, takes stock of agrivoltaics in France. Lina Dubina, sustainability policy advisor at Solar Power Europe, the trade association for the European photovoltaic industry, discusses efforts at European level to promote the deployment of agrivoltaic solutions. Finally, Antanas, Karbauskas, policy coordinator for economic sustainability for the Common Agricultural Policy at the European Commission's DG AGRI, discusses the possibilities for agrivoltaics in the current European regulatory framework and the potential of solar energy in agriculture.

37. #Agrivoltaics: a promising alliance between solar power and farming

L’agrivoltaïque, c’est un ensemble de pratiques qui font coexister production d’énergie photovoltaïque et production agricole sur une même terre, en même temps. Dans le contexte actuel de fluctuation des coûts énergétiques, les solutions proposées par la filière solaire commencent à éveiller un certain intérêt dans le monde agricole européen. 

Mais de nombreuses inconnues demeurent et génèrent encore de la défiance. Par exemple, quel impact ont les panneaux solaires sur les rendements d’une exploitation ? Les solutions photovoltaïques sont-elles adaptées à tous les types de culture et d’élevage ? Comment faut-il encadrer ce secteur balbutiant, mais prometteur, pour ne pas sacrifier la production agricole européenne sur l’autel du solaire ?

Le 37ème épisode du podcast Nourrir l’Europe vous emmène en France, pays pionnier en matière d’agrivoltaïque, à la rencontre de Benoît Bougler, un agriculteur picard qui héberge une des premières canopées photovoltaïques de France au-dessus de cultures céréalières. 

Cédric Cogniez, responsable des partenariats agricoles pour un des principaux producteurs d’énergie solaire de l’Hexagone, l’entreprise TSE, dresse un état des lieux de l’agrivoltaïque en France. Lina Dubina, conseillère politique en développement durable chez Solar Power Europe, l’association professionnelle de la filière photovoltaïque européenne, évoque des pistes d’action au niveau européen pour favoriser le déploiement des solutions agrivoltaïques. Enfin, Antanas, Karbauskas, coordonnateur de la politique de durabilité économique pour la Politique agricole commune au sein de la DG Agri de la Commission européenne, revient sur les possibilités en matière d’agrivoltaïque dans le cadre réglementaire européen actuel et le potentiel du solaire en agriculture.

37. #Agrivoiltaïque : l’alliance prometteuse entre productions solaire et agricole

As ACEF 2024 wraps up, WRI brings you a closer look at the innovative aspects of agrivoltaics that China is tapping into to reach its goal of tripling renewable energy by 2030. Looking beyond the clean energy conference, Shengnian Xu, a research associate in WRI China’s Energy program, sees WRI being well-positioned to help lead the global discussions around critical minerals...a topic that dominated the discussions at the Asian Development Bank’s week-long event.

Check out our full coverage of ACEF at: https://www.wri.org/podcasts

WRI at ACEF - Behind The Scenes #2

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 something of 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.
Her story points to a bright future for farmers who want to improve productivity and the economics of their farms. Janna says there is nothing but potential for the expansion of the idea often referred to as Agrivoltaics. 
This is part one in our series.

GreenEnergyFutures CKUA.com Podcast
BLOG at GreenEnergyFutures.ca

394A. Solar and Sheep - First generation farmer builds thriving operation

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

A growing movement of Australian farmers is stepping up to tackle climate change head-on. Climate change is already hitting agriculture hard with drought, floods, and extreme weather costing farmers tens of thousands each year. Born from a meeting of 30 frustrated farmers tired of being ignored about climate change a decade ago, Farmers for Climate Action has grown into a national force representing more than 8,000 farmers committed to climate solutions. From carbon-neutral beef production to farmers installing solar and batteries to reduce emissions and take pressure off the grid, renewables present an opportunity for regional communities, not just for cutting emissions and costs, but for boosting farm incomes, strengthening local economies, and creating a more equitable energy future. Natalie Collard is the CEO of Farmers for Climate Action.

The future of farming - how renewables can reshape agriculture

This week's episode of the Business Brief podcast looks at how some farmers are using solar panels to help provide better growing conditions for their crops. Then, it features a former startup founder who just took on a new role helping Missouri entrepreneurs.

Produce meets power with agrivoltaics

Two educators with UW-Madison Extension in Wisconsin combining our skills, knowledge, and experience to help farmers and agronomists develop research-based solutions to issues facing agriculture in Wisconsin.

Join Anne Delaney as she tracks the electrification of everything with people at the forefront of the electrification transition.

"Big Ideas Into Action" is the relaunched podcast from the World Resources Institute, bringing you the big ideas that combat the world's most pressing environmental and developmental challenges. You'll hear the voices of those meeting the challenges on the ground across the globe and find out about the way we're finding the answers and translating them into action. 

We'll be podcasting in series of six to eight at a time, once a week, with occasional special episodes to add our insights and analysis in response to big events. 

The World Resources Institute works around the globe to turn big ideas into action at the nexus of environment, economic opportunity, and human well-being. We focus on seven urgent global challenges that must be addressed to reduce poverty, grow economies and protect natural systems: climate change, energy, food, forests, water, cities, and the ocean.

Missouri Business Alert’s Business Brief is a podcast covering business news and issues shaping the state.

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.

Have you ever wondered how food in Europe is produced or where it comes from? ‘Food for Europe’ brings you stories, analysis, and in-depth interviews on agriculture, rural development, and the developments that are transforming the way we shop, eat and cultivate our precious, scattered farmland. 

Brought to you by the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development, the podcast will shed light on the most important European policies for food and agriculture and discuss the ambitions to become a greener and more sustainable Europe.
© European Union, 2021

New tracks tagged #agrivoltaics