Clean, renewable energy sources like solar are beginning to replace dirty, polluting energy sources like gas and oil. However, one issue with solar that needs to be addressed as it continues to expand is the amount of physical space solar arrays take up.
Luckily, there are several viable ways to work around this issue or even to use it for good. Among them is the burgeoning practice of agrivoltaics, where solar arrays are combined with other types of farming to make use of the shade they provide. In New South Wales, Australia, one renewables developer just commissioned a study on agrivoltaics that had promising results, pv magazine reported.
Developer Lightsource bp had environmental services company EMM Consulting, in collaboration with agribusiness group Elders Rural Services, conduct a study on its Wellington project, where a flock of about 1,700 Merino sheep have been grazing under solar arrays for the past three years.
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The findings of the study were that the quality of the wool produced by these sheep was no worse than wool produced by sheep grazing out in the open.
"The findings suggest that the co-location of solar farming with sheep grazing is not negatively impacting wool production, even in the case of pre-existing high-quality standards," Lightsource bp said, in a released statement.
According to the farmer who owns the sheep, the quality of wool actually increased over this period.
"Our wool quality has increased significantly, mainly, I think, because variable rain means our sheep can go from a lush feed to dried grass to standing hay up to six times a year, which means you can get breaks in your wool production and the tensile strength can be slightly weaker," he said.
Other agrivoltaics projects include one in Spain that combined solar panels with olive trees. Other studies have found that crops like maize, Swiss chard, and beans grow even better under partial shade provided by solar panels.
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