Agrivoltaics: Combining Food and Electricity Production to Save the Planet

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By Sarah Brusseau

Introduction

            Nearly 270 million people face food shortages globally; this number has doubled since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Nine million people die every year from hunger and hunger-related diseases. In the United States, more than one in seven children live in a household facing food insecurity and are not afforded the adequate nutrition needed to grow and develop. The impacts of food shortages are very real. And those who suffer from food shortages are often the ones also experiencing one of the greatest threats to our planet today: climate change.

The Earth is facing a tipping point when it comes to climate change. According to the Sixth Assessment Report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), global temperatures have continued to increase over the past 200 years due to human activity. If temperatures continue to rise at the rate they have, and little efforts are made to decarbonization, we will see significantly more extreme weather events, sea levels rise, immense biodiversity loss, and more.

One of the main human activities that have led to increased global temperatures is agricultural activities. 17 percent of all greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are released through agricultural activities, and GHG emissions are the leading driver of the Earth warming. Additionally, 25 percent of GHG emissions come from electricity production, which is generated through the burning of fossil fuels.

So, we find ourselves in a vicious cycle with the agricultural industry, electricity production, and climate change. We, as humans, rely on our food systems to survive. However, through our food production activities, we are harming the environment. We require electricity to lead our daily lives, but, again, our production activities are creating long-term harm. Although the United States has 896 million acres of farmland and is not currently in a nationwide food shortage, although some regions are expericing food insecurity, the impending climate crisis is accelerating the timeline of scientists and policy makers to develop quick, affordable solutions. So what is the solution? Agrivoltaics.

What is Agrivoltaics?

 Agrivoltaics is the practice of combining solar photovoltaic-based renewable energy generation with agricultural production, or rather, solar panels installed on farmland. Instead of fields being scraped completely for solar field development, the land may be used to not only help generate electricity, but also combat the forthcoming food security issues. A goal of agrivoltaics is to combine water, land, food, and energy resources efficiencies into one, resulting in increased food supply, reduced GHG emissions, and improved water efficiency.

The Benefits

Agrivoltaics allows agricultural and solar systems to be “co-located” in one area to benefit one another. For example, solar panels provide shading to crops planted underneath and, in turn, the solar panels have a higher chance of increased performance when providing shade. With 300 sunny days in Colorado, but a short growing season, crop selection can be an art. Nevertheless, we know that common crops like corn thrive in constant light, while leafy greens only require partial sunlight. Solar panels can provide different amounts of light that each individual crop receives, resulting in increased productivity and higher crop yields. Also, a 2018 study from a project site in Arizona found that solar panels stayed 16°F cooler and produced 2 percent more electricity when the solar panels had crops growing underneath. The vegetation releases water vapor through tiny pores on their leaves through the process of transpiration; the transpiration helps not only cool down the crop’s leaves, but also the surrounding air. This is important because for every 1.8°F increase in temperature, solar panels lose nearly half a percent in efficiency.

Agrivoltaics is increasingly raising interest in the renewable energy sector for farmers and ranchers. Due to inclement weather, an ever-changing economy, and, most recently, the COVID-19 pandemic, farmers and ranchers are actively seeking ways to diversify their revenue stream and bring in new sources of income. Farmers and ranchers may use the solar panels to reduce their own electric bills and help power irrigation equipment, all without being required to connect to a grid. The extra electricity generated from the solar panels can also be directed to the surrounding land or town.

By using previously cultivated land to install solar panels, developers may save on installation costs, in addition to reduced upfront and legal risks. By using previously cultivated land, the likelihood of needing an environmental assessment is significantly decreased, which, in turn, will reduce up front litigation costs.

Legal and Policy Implications

Agrivoltaics appears to be an excellent solution to our electricity generation and food security needs. However, the practice is still predominately in the research and development stage here in the U.S., and there are few laws and policies in place to encourage development. Several additions should be made to the legal framework of agrivoltaics, and land use policies must be adopted that favor an agrivoltaic system.

First, at the state level, farmers and solar developers must be afforded sales tax incentives to help with upfront capital costs. In Colorado, for example, there are sales tax incentives currently in place for the agriculutre and renewable energy sectors, but these sales tax incentives should be expanded for agrivoltaic development. For example, the Colorado Revised Statute § 39-26-274 allows for, “all sales, storage, and use of components used in the production of alternating current electricity from a renewable energy source, including but not limited to wind, shall be exempt from taxation. . . .” solar modules, tackers, generating equipment, supporting structures, inverters, and towers are all included under the statute. However, Colorado should expand § 39-26-274 to include: Perimeter fences, materials needed to ensure local stormwater and environmental regulations are being met, and materials and labor needed to ensure the fire department has access to the property.

            Property tax reductions for agrivoltaic land should also be provided. Agrivoltaics is defined by statute in the state of Colorado under SB 21-235; agrivoltaic land, though, does not fall under avaulable property tax reductions.  Colorado SB 21-293 is already in place; SB 21-293 reduced the property tax of purely agricultural property and renewable energy property from 29 percent to 26.4 percent for the years 2022 and 2023. However, agrivoltaic property is not included in the statute. States must adopt a clear definition of agrivoltaics by statute and include agrivoltaic property under property tax reduction statutes. If property tax reductions were available, there is a high chance the Colorado agricultural industry, in addition to other states, would consider adopting more agrivoltaic systems.

Lastly, land use is a primary issue for those seeking approval to install solar panels on land already zomed for agricultural uses.. Zoning Authorities throughout the country are hesitant to re-zone agriculture land into mixed-use, which could allow for solar panels to be placed on farmland. Solar panels should be considered additional infrastructure, not a farm accessory structure; this designation will generally allow for the agrivoltaic structures to be subject to only the minimum requirements of the zoning district.

Conclusion

If we are to mitigate climate change, we must act now, and we must act creatively. 48 percent of Colorado’s land is zone agricultural; if even half of the lands contained solar panels, we could easily power Colorado and significantly reduce GHG emissions.

*If you would like to see an agrivoltaic system in action in Colorado, visit Jack’s Solar Garden in Boulder County.