Solar Farm Summit

Additionally, you can find research posters from the following universities presented in the SFS23 and SFS24 Poster Galleries, also available in the Conference Archives:

SFS23 Poster Gallery

- University of Illinois, Urbana Champaign

- Penn State University

- University of Arizona

SFS24 Poster Gallery

- Iowa State University

- Virginia State University

- University of Minnesota

- Oregon State University

- The University of Arizona

- University of Vermont

- UC Davis

Find More in this Research Data Portal

The Cutting Edge Podcast, UW-Madison Extension

Episode #45: Agrivoltaics Part I, InSPIRE Project

Kicking off the Cutting Edge Podcast's series on agrivoltaics - the use of land for both agriculture and solar photovoltaic energy generation - is an interview with James McCall, Energy and Environment Analyst at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). James gives an overview of the InSPIRE project, which explores the environmental compatibility and mutual benefits of solar development with agriculture and native landscapes. The InSPIRE project is funded by the US Department of Energy and managed by NREL. For more information on the program, check out https://openei.org/wiki/InSPIRE

Episode #46: Agrivoltaics Part II, UW Kegonsa Solar Project

In Part II of our series on agrivoltaics, the Cutting Edge Podcast discuss the UW-Madison Kegonsa Research Campus solar project. This project is a collaboration between UW-Madison and Alliant Energy to develop a small-scale solar and agrivoltaics project for research and education purposes on the university-owned Kegonsa Research Campus in Stoughton, WI, just south of the main campus. Joining are Josh Arnold, Campus Energy Advisor with the UW Office of Sustainability, and Amanda Thomas, Engineer and Project Manager at Alliant Energy.

Episode #47: Agrivoltaics Part III, Agronomic Research

In this third and final episode on agrivoltaics, the Cutting Edge Podcast dives into the agronomic research studying different types of cropping and grazing systems that may be compatible with solar arrays. They talk to Sarah Moser of Savion, a solar development company, and Eric Romich of Ohio State University about their collaboration "Between the Rows." Then they talk to Brad Heins, Associate Professor of Dairy Management at the University of Minnesota, to get the latest information on grazing cattle underneath solar panels.

Featured Articles

From the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers (ASABE)

"Today, huge opportunities exist for ASABE members to get involved in the production of on-site photovoltaic electricity."

In the article "Agrivoltaics: The Next Chapter in Rural Electrification" published by ASABE in the Nov/Dec 2024 issue of Resource: Engineering and Technology for Sustainable World, Scott Cedarquist highlights the growing opportunities for ASABE members to advance agrivoltaics, which combines agriculture with solar energy production on millions of acres nationwide. He emphasizes the need for technical expertise in site preparation, livestock management, and farming integration, while encouraging involvement in shaping agrivoltaics standards through ASABE initiatives and collaborations with industry leaders.

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In FarmProgress

"81.8% of respondents would more likely support solar development in their community if it integrated agricultural production."

"Agrivoltaics: Weighing solar growth and farmland loss" in FarmProgress explores the tension between utility-scale solar development and farmland loss, emphasizing the potential of agrivoltaics—dual-use systems combining solar energy production with agricultural activity—as a solution. While rural communities often resist solar projects due to concerns about environmental and economic impacts, agrivoltaics presents an opportunity to balance solar growth with agricultural preservation.

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