Solar Panels Plus Farming? Agrivoltaics Explained

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Solar panels plus farming? Agrivoltaics explained. Could combining solar panels plus farming be a viable solution to the growing demand for food production and energy demand? Let’s take a closer look at electrifying our crops (not literally electrifying crops) … well, adding solar to our farm land as well as some of the side benefits and challenges it creates.
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Пікірлер: 4 000

@UndecidedMF 2 жыл бұрын

But what do you think? Should we be trying to use agrivoltaics everywhere? Are there any other dual use renewable energy examples that you know about? If you liked this video, be sure to check out 28,000 Year Nuclear Waste Battery? Diamond Batteries Explained kzfaq.info/get/bejne/jL2nftSE38fPiYk.html

@juggaloclownpreacher 2 жыл бұрын

These communities that are pushing not-in-my-backyard issue are lucky they have word in edgewise because in Native communities and in minority communities when they put chemical plants in those communities they do not have the ability to say no.

@insanitysportal6692 2 жыл бұрын

I still want to see kinetic energy capture used as borders along farms and in high-wind zones...

@TheOrganicartist 2 жыл бұрын

To Rob the writer, The water use statistic 0:13 for the livestock is a bit disingenuous, for example most of the water that the livestock drink does double duty since it also irrigates the grass grazing land (which IMPORTANTLY is usually low quality land Not suitable for crop production in the first place)

@gumpdude 2 жыл бұрын

I'm wondering if it would be more cost effective to have a solar-powered-multi-level-vertical-hydroponic-farm-warehouse built on the same land rather than an agrovoltaic? What's the most amount of food that can be grown, harvested, and shipped for the least/most efficient amount of energy in 1 square meter? (Big brain time. Lol.) Cheers!

@TheWineroute 2 жыл бұрын

Add electric tractors, farmers could eventually cut the cord to big oil.

@sstallsmith 2 жыл бұрын

Sunny California with it's water shortages comes to mind for this. Saving 50% water costs, adding income from power generation and maintaining same yield - a win-win.

@pradeepkharta5953 2 жыл бұрын

If Americans will do these things then who will bomb countries and bring peace.

@dmk1948 2 жыл бұрын

I’ve seen California crops under plastic tents. We should try replacing some of this with solar panels. California’s desire to promote solar power should be compatible with this.

@TgamerBio5529 2 жыл бұрын

Yeah

@mikeballew3207 2 жыл бұрын

yes, and there's also the opportunity to tailor the solar panels to light frequencies that plants don't prefer. With semi-transparent panels allowing the light through that plants like the most, we can make up the energy production shortfall caused by currently being forced to space the panels out (like on the raspberry farm).

@georgianbents 2 жыл бұрын

@@pradeepkharta5953 That, sir, is an important question that the psychopathic corporations, who make trillions from wars, would prefer people to ignore.

@PiyushGupta-vx6qi 2 жыл бұрын

In India, we do something like this by placing solar panels at the top of canals. Because there are lots of canals in India. The extra benefit is solar panels reduce the loss of water due to evaporation providing extra for agriculture. The shade also prevents the growth of algae in the water. And the presence of water underneath keeps the panels cool.

@hobbypsychologist6444 2 жыл бұрын

500 iq

@seifer447 2 жыл бұрын

Awesome. Thats a fantastic play.

@aman3116 2 жыл бұрын

Started this already in some parts of Rajasthan n Haryana

@blaster1185 2 жыл бұрын

Solar canals! Nice. I thought UC Merced was the only group leading the idea of solar canals.

@I_killed_that_beard_guy 2 жыл бұрын

Yup India is rapidly increasing the use of solar which is a good thing.

@elitedestroyer0083 2 жыл бұрын

To me agrivoltaics seems to be most effective in smaller operations where heavy machinery isn't used. The raspberry farm was a perfect example of that. Basically if it grows in a plastic tunnel and it's harvested by hand, agrivoltaics will probably be perfect.

@forbaldo1 Жыл бұрын

clearly you have never seen a commercial Raspberry Farm

@mcsanad Жыл бұрын

wonder how much those strawberries will cost adding the cost of the solar pannels to the price :)

@animehair05silently88 Жыл бұрын

You can just put the solar panels on wheels like they already do with watering equipment probably

@Ben.Royals Жыл бұрын

@@mcsanad That depends on who owns the solar panels. If they are owned externally then it probably wont affect it at all. If the farmer owns them, it possibly could, but then the higher guarantee on yield means less waste, the shade means less water usage and the electricity needed by the farmer would come from the panels and not the inflated grid prices. So it could offset the installation costs.

@mcsanad Жыл бұрын

@@Ben.Royals well from my point of view planting strawberries on fertile land under solar panels might be a great source of power but the money you lose out on by not planting crops is really unequal. If, the panels are owned by the same person that manages and sells the strawberries and they'd like to cover the cost of the panel, it'd either take them multiple lifetimes to get the price back or to sell the strawberries at a super high price. This idea was obviously made by someone who has never done agricultural planning or work. Instead, putting solar panels on your rooftop, perhaps vehicle hangar or even a barn covers around the same area if not more. This way the farmer is independent from the grid and had more land to cultivate with and make bigger profits than he ever could with measly strawberries. Oh and I forgot to mention, this way the price of bread and other products that come from agriculture won't rise so you get to buy your daily bread for an alright price instead of buying strawberries with sky high prices. I say this is the best possible use, not wasting any fertile land and still getting their own power :)

@bernddamian9519 Жыл бұрын

Sometimes I wonder what the world would have looked like without innovations like this😊, my advice for everyone, both in the agricultural industry and elsewhere, is to evolve with the world in others so as not to to be left behind

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@wlspook 2 жыл бұрын

As a Dutch Greenhouse Manufacturing Engineer I can already tell you that we calculate the steel constructions with the posibility to directly or later install solar panels. This means that when the end customer wants to place solar panels he can do so without any repurcussions from the local governments as the building permit and the construction calculations are already in place for any eventual agrivoltaic farming. But your story has enlightened me in a few more ways so thank you for that!

@AhsanNadeem 2 жыл бұрын

amazing can i have some of those design layouts i want to pilot this on our small land

@knowledgeskills238 2 жыл бұрын

great

@kingtutakhamon 2 жыл бұрын

Does your company have a website?

@kestrelsandcrows6871 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the good news (news for me, not news for the Dutch). Big players on the food market will drive this development. Here in Germany the NIMBY mentality is a big problem and I doubt that forward-looking engineering like this would have any chance for approval by decision makers. The video is incredibly well done. Channel subscribed.

@peterers3 2 жыл бұрын

Germany needs to fucking learn from the Dutch. Ampeln...agriculture...bike lanes.

@AngieMeadKing 2 жыл бұрын

Yes we should, I’m trying to learn as much as I can about it to try it on my farm.

@faradayfarmer 2 жыл бұрын

Let us know how it goes! 🤙

@rschiwal 2 жыл бұрын

@@KLRJUNE As we say to soldiers, Thank you for your service.

@AjayAjay-gz3oz 2 жыл бұрын

Best of luck... remember you have to compromise (optimize...???) between food and energy production .. depending upon where/what you farm and Solar Generation...If "up north" maybe a fully enclosed AV System could/would provide 12 month growing season in a Greenhouse like environment... and remember as you "grow solar electricity" too you can provide heating too (use heat pumps that have a COP of 4+ ... COP=HeatOut/Heat In)..

@mafarmerga 2 жыл бұрын

Farmers in Georgia are now growing cash crops that in the past would just burn up, but with the mix of daily sun and shade they are growing crops with a higher cash value than just peanuts and onions.

@earljustin93 2 жыл бұрын

@Angie Mead King I hope someday, I can visit your farm. Nag-aaral ako dito sa Canada para maging mas efficient at responsible farmer sa atin. I love what you're doing there. Ingat! :)

@DC9848 Жыл бұрын

There are also new solar panels that allow the wave lengths that plants need to go mostly through the panel. This would be ideal for greenhouses as they already have the metal frames.

@TheRaidenLP 5 ай бұрын

Hey, late question to your comment, but do you know the company that is creating this product?

@ArslanMajeed Жыл бұрын

In Pakistan, we have a project underway to put floating solar panels over water dams. Makes the surface area usable, reduces water evaporation and helps keep the panels cool and I don't know the technical details but somehow it also helps improve the efficiency of panels too (in terms of generating energy per unit).

@mihailblues200 Жыл бұрын

They're producing more because they're double sided (water refletion) and the cooling also helps

@lumberjackdreamer6267 11 ай бұрын

@@mihailblues200 Solar panel efficiency is higher at cooler temperatures. That’s just how the silicon works.

@ChrisvanHasselt 2 жыл бұрын

I wish that instead of the "car broiler" top deck on parking decks in urban areas, the top deck would be covered with solar panel for shading cars & people, as well as generating electricity. This could be beneficial for powering more charging stations in the deck.

@TheSolarGuyJK 2 жыл бұрын

That's really a no-brainer... makes total sense

@marcdefaoite 2 жыл бұрын

Yep and all supermarket and airport carparks, car hire lots etc

@clewis3762 2 жыл бұрын

That could also free up space on the bottom floors by getting all the people who want to charge their cars straight up to the top.

@leifhietala8074 2 жыл бұрын

I've been thinking about canopies above parking lots for some time - not just the car broiler either. Think about the acres of parking in front of the grocery store - what if it were covered with solar canopies? Grocery stores use a ton of electricity for the HVAC and refrigeration units, even if they never generated enough to sell to the grid, they could radically offset their own load.

@redwolfexr 2 жыл бұрын

@@leifhietala8074 The issue is the support pylons. If the structure isn't self supporting then the poles discourage people (especially with trucks) from shopping there. Those panels and mounting are HEAVY. Notice in this video they optimized for tractors in one direction only. One local grocery with underground parking has a LOT of spaces with concrete pylons where doors open. I would say about half of the parking spaces are comfortable to use for most drivers. (it is a 12 story apartment building on top of that structure) The apartment parking is in the pedestal so far less "support" needed.

@ojaimark 2 жыл бұрын

I have a home garden/homestead in the desert and I'm constantly having to use shade cloth to protect my crops. Even sun loving crops like peppers can get burnt to a crisp if it gets particularly hot and bright. I'm legit considering trying to slap together a home setup like this.

@kamalmanzukie Жыл бұрын

love you 😘

@HeloisGevit Жыл бұрын

Why grow a garden in the desert, the fresh water costs are high, a resource we are fast running out of.

@libbyholt3863 Жыл бұрын

That is SO exciting! You posted this 3 months ago. I hope you'll update us on your progress. I'm about to move f/desert, where we've been getting 11"rain/year, to a one acre, unimproved homestead that gets 56"/year. I hope to slowly put in a no-dig, permaculture garden system. Although water will not be a problem, I think the challenges of excess sun and affordable energy are problematic everywhere.

@nemanjamanutd Жыл бұрын

@@HeloisGevit yeah no , just nuke us already

@jJaqStone Жыл бұрын

@@HeloisGevit More than one billion people on Earth live in deserts. In addition, many grasslands and even forests are desertifying due to extreme drought and intensifying heat. There are many food producing plants that are heat and drought tolerant, so we can grow food locally in arid climates but we still need to adapt to environmental factors in the way we grow food. I live in the Sonoran Desert. I have a food forest in my backyard. In addition to improving the soil and cleaning the air, it adds moisture to the air and keeps the temperature lower in summer and higher in winter. With ground-level irrigation I use less water to keep everything going than the neighbors who have no plants at all but wash cars, let the kids play with the hose, or have a pool. My water bill is lower and yet I have groceries growing year round. Growing in the desert improves the local environment, provides nutritious local food, and encourages more rainfall.

@maxinereynolds3851 10 ай бұрын

Although I did not know the concept existed I imagined it and went searching for just this idea. I searched ‘can you grow under solar panels?’ and was VERY PLEASED to find this video on agrivoltaics!!!! Thank you for this beautifully explained video. We are building a home in Jamaica and I was saddened by the builder’s plan to create a solar park which would use up so much of the precious land space (a slope that has to be terraced) that I had plans to create garden spaces. I wish you were closer to Jamaica so I could actually see the agrivoltaics in person. Thanks again for this video!

@NoStressVanLife Жыл бұрын

I saw this a few years back at the Biodome in Arizona as a study, it help ed keep temperatures way lower for the plants in arizona's aggressive heat, and helped growth all around.

@pedro97w 2 жыл бұрын

Glad to see a SMART application of solar on land that does not waste the land underneath. The shade the panels produce should be optimized. Parking lots, the building underneath in hot climates

@bala5340 2 жыл бұрын

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@Slebonson 2 жыл бұрын

Most grocery stores here in Phoenix AZ have them over the parking lot....

@pedro97w 2 жыл бұрын

@@Slebonson Smart

@PhilLesh69 2 жыл бұрын

I think it's possible to make strings of solar diodes instead of light blocking panels.

@yoeriw7099 2 жыл бұрын

@@Slebonson Been to Disneyland (Paris) a few weeks ago they where doing the same to their parking lot near the main gate (was still in the early stages of construction tho)

@mt8593 2 жыл бұрын

There is another potential winner in this scenario - the farmworker who is less exposed to heat stress and the elements in general. Has there been any work looking at health benefits to workers?

@ramavijaya148 2 жыл бұрын

This is a great benefit as he spends all the day / week in the field

@seanisajerk83 2 жыл бұрын

That’s a really good point that should be factored in as well!

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@Smuutti 2 жыл бұрын

It was actually mentioned in the video.

@rafaelrp07 2 жыл бұрын

The video is nice and I think is a good solution for urban farming. But working with less heat stress the best option is agroforesty. We could simply imitate the ecological succession by planting food while we're building up a forest and recovering the ecosystem. Look up for agroforesty videos, such as Ernst Götsch projects. Nature's still the best techology avaliable. Sorry for my bad english

@thomasdam9916 6 ай бұрын

As an employee of a company that operates of some of GroenLeven's solar park portfolio, seeing a pilot project of theirs so close to home featured in this video was a very pleasant surprise! For anyone who wants to know, there are currently more Dutch shade-crop farmers installing solar on top of their greenhouses (not as a pilot, but as actual revenue generating projects). Driving through the vast greenhouse landscape north of Amsterdam and The Hague you can see many of these popping up, great development to see :)

@aaronburdon221 5 ай бұрын

This doesn't surprise me to be honest. With the dutch farmers fighting for their land and Russia cutting off oil, they definitely need a little bit more self-sustainability/cost mitigation.

@DavidTrad 2 жыл бұрын

Matt, what I love about all your videos, especially ones that discuss the contentious space, it's your willingness to put forward the pro and con argument, all in the same segment. The contest of ideas and the debate in the discussion, is the only thing that will move us forward as a civilisation and society. Thank you for the videos mate 👍

@riverludington5293 2 жыл бұрын

Helped conduct research at the University of Arizona on agrovoltaics! All of the crops under solar panels produced significantly more, because of the reduced heat stress. The greatest difference was the tomatoes, as the control group in the sun didn't fruit at all so the percentage increase in yield was a problematic way to summarize the results as we were dividing by 0.

@Matt-dc8lp 2 жыл бұрын

Then it was not properly designed experiment. No one in that climate would try to grow tomatoes without shade cloth.

@trevorlomaomvaya7387 2 жыл бұрын

Sheesh

@suersu3963 2 жыл бұрын

@@Matt-dc8lp solar panels maybe replace shade cloth? and I don't think Matt really provided enough details on the design of the experiment for you to dismiss it without asking for more clarification

@pinealism 2 жыл бұрын

Yeah reduced heat stress as in direct sunlight, other wise the covering panels gather and radiate heat into the atmosphere adding to the heat island effect. Less CO2 produced maybe but definitely heating the local atmosphere. Doesn't CO2 do that already?

@Th16suilalo 2 жыл бұрын

Why dont they use mirror to reflect sunlight for crops from sides... Dont say they cant lol.. 😂

@keacoq 2 жыл бұрын

This seems important. For me the measure is the production of two hectares of agrovoltaics, compared with 1ha of traditional agriculture and 1ha of normal photovoltaics. I like the idea that panels can produce electricity and at the same time produce useful shade.

@neetshah7494 2 жыл бұрын

This can absolutely be tapped into. A very good opportunity for both developed and developing countries. In addition to the point of solar production, wouldn't dry and arid regions with a higher rate and concentration of sun solve this issue? I understand that there is more space in between the panel sheets; although using mono-crystalline panels might keep that production at normal levels.

@KneelB4Bacon 2 жыл бұрын

They should do this at abandoned shopping malls, as well. They have acres of parking lots baking in the sun. You could even put the solar panels on raised frames and park the cars underneath them.

@nocensorship8092 2 жыл бұрын

Great idea, nobody wants their car to become baking hot in the sun anyway

@stijndevocht8026 2 жыл бұрын

@@nocensorship8092 this is done on the parking of disneyland paris

@grigoryanemmma Жыл бұрын

You are genius

@davestagner Жыл бұрын

I expect we’ll see a lot of parking lots covered in solar panels. It makes a ton of sense.

@chrisheath2637 2 жыл бұрын

Matt, it seems like, with some research, this could be a win-win for both energy and crop production. I saw somewhere that people were installing solar panels over canals. The panels reduced evaporation of the canal water, and kept the underside of the panels cooler, increasing efficiency.

@christiankruse1970 2 жыл бұрын

Heard of that in India.

@nct948 2 жыл бұрын

Do you mean irrigation channels? How could barges use such canals? are the panels very high over the canals to allow boat traffic?

@chrisheath2637 2 жыл бұрын

@@nct948 I suppose sailing boats (with masts) wouldn't use the canals, so the panel are mounted maybe 2-3 meters above the banks, to clear the boats. I guess they figure this out before they build them ! Maybe what I saw was actually irrigation channels (rather than navigable channels).

@polygaryd 2 жыл бұрын

They should do that here in az over the aquaducts. Would be perfect to minimize evaporation and generate power. No boats of any kind are allowed in the aquaduct anyway. Perfect solution.

@RyuuTenno 2 жыл бұрын

Veritasium did a video about a California water supply putting plastic balls into their reservoir, I imagine putting solar panels over it instead could actually do quite a bit of work out there. Providing energy for the area, preventing birds from getting near it (he explains why it's an issue in the video) and reducing evaporation would actually save them loads of money in regards to water. Though, I'm sure the repairs and installation likely wouldn't be as cheap as building this same system over land, since they'd need to put supports in the middle of the water.

@thornelderfin 2 жыл бұрын

I've been interested in Agrivoltaics for the past 2 years and I still learned new things from your video. Thank you Matt! Another excellent video!

@UndecidedMF 2 жыл бұрын

Great to hear!

@Nightowl5454 2 жыл бұрын

@@UndecidedMF I'm glad to see you're helping promote the Just have a think guy, the more good quality information that gets out there the better off we're all are.😁

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@mrbwadding 2 жыл бұрын

To understand why this concept isn't currently viable you need to understand how these projects are financed.

@bricelarie6527 2 жыл бұрын

@@mrbwadding Unfortunately ... Lots of debates on the how to about what's supposed to become green barrier project in Sahel ... but promised funds never been released ... Last brand new solar plant in Marocco stand quite the same batch process they use in AZ . Photovoltaic nd mirror heating molden salt steam generators ... Sure, as looking further close in or deeper in ... I personally greatly appreciate what's the use "politics" in foreign countries ... Way more how France is preparing landmark for German in Sahel ... Not talking yet Dutch tech ... Thru ports n navigation . They got that bad habits always making things easier n then so brighter ... The irony stand it could be developed thru petrol revenue as a conversion which would be the most plausible development ... It also means what will be grown won't be necessarily that good for health as food ... Can't get it all at first starting in the deserts ...

@1Chitus Жыл бұрын

This sort of farming would be greatly beneficial here in Australia where water can be a little scarce at times. Storms come through (hail) and wipe out large area's of fruit.. Grapes, pumpkin, corn, etc etc. Having this type of set up would help protect the plants whilst having other benefits. Water reduction, power production etc.. Fantastic idea.

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@mrhickman53 2 жыл бұрын

Several decades ago some articles were written about the potential benefits of putting farming equipment on rails in order to not compact the earth under the wheels. At the time I recall the major advantage as being reducing the energy consumption of the equipment while working the soil. Guiding the equipment through the rows between the solar arrays effectively achieves this goal. Furthermore, the structures could provide attachments for a hot shoe or catenary power takeoff to power electric equipment without the need for large battery packs. I believe fuel is a significant cost for farmers. Reducing the energy cost to the farmer could be further justification.

@UncleKennysPlace 2 жыл бұрын

Yeah, powering the machinery itself would be ideal, and selling off the surplus as a bonus.

@daubentons1 2 жыл бұрын

@@UncleKennysPlace There is nothing to stop farmers doing this in any field. It's just not cost effective

@loganmackay46 2 жыл бұрын

Agree. APV gets even more interesting when you further utilize the overhead structure to distribute power allowing the farm implements to be electrified. As we move towards decarbonization, fossil fuel use in industries like agriculture will need these solutions!!

@fredericrike5974 2 жыл бұрын

@@daubentons1 I think you are well on to it- the original poster had no budget to pay for the rails, cross ties, maintenance- or the connector rails needed to get from one field to another. Same thoughts occur to me for farm equipment powered by direct take of from the overhead PV grids. But good thoughts to start from! FR

@wanaan 2 жыл бұрын

Over the long run it probably is better. But there seems to be significant initial cost that would keep anyone from doing that without federal assistance.

@dorisjcrotty1332 Жыл бұрын

Hello Matt, now that I'm retired, my plan is to give hydroponic farming a try. I was concerned about the world getting hotter. In NJ the past summer was unbearable. I love the thought of combining these 2 products. It is a win-win for everyone. Last week, I went to a farm. I saw that they used grape vines over a chicken coup. They said that this was a win-win for the past few years. Why buy chicken waste ! I found this fascinating . Keep up the great work !

@felixvonlooz978 2 жыл бұрын

Well done and very informative video, thank you Matt! I could imagine using the same effects for a lot of other large open areas, like parking lots, highways, tree nurseries, maybe even parks, playgrounds, sports grounds etc. All of those areas could use same shade n the summer and protection of the elements. Especially in hot and arid regions, the solar roofs could help collect rainwater and over parking lots the sun-generated electricity could power charging stations for EV's parking there.

@thijs8757 2 жыл бұрын

I can imagine Agrivoltaics making big strides in the future. I feel like right now it's just in its starting phases like many other green energy production ideas, but maybe once more research has been done and the benefits of using agrivoltaics is better demonstrated and documented, it can really take off.

@solarcabin 2 жыл бұрын

Excellent video, Matt! I run a few subs on Reddit and have been sharing your vids over there. I also teach people how to install small off grid solar and build sustainable and affordable housing.

@joecolletti 2 жыл бұрын

@solarcabin, how 'bout a link or two? :)

@JohnSmith-kf1fc 2 жыл бұрын

joe is right here, how about a link? :)

@samguapo4573 2 жыл бұрын

keep on sharing :)

@mgiraudjr 2 жыл бұрын

Let's see those sub reddita

@felixjones7659 2 жыл бұрын

Link ?

@alexconstable3155 2 жыл бұрын

I love the model of sheep grazing combined with solar panels; I think it could work extremely well with the rotational grazing model: a strip or block of panels will define the boundaries of each paddock in the rotation. It would be important to seed the right kind of forage on the soil under and between the panels, with plenty of legumes like trefoil in the mix. The panels themselves would provide much-needed shade. Ideally, the would supply power to electric perimeter fencing, to keep predators out.

@MsPoliteRants Жыл бұрын

The only problem i see with goats and sheep is that they love to climb and jump. One hop onto a solar panel and bam, destroyed.

@jenniferhahn2851 Жыл бұрын

@@MsPoliteRants sheep are fine, goats would definitely ruin the panels!

@rickytorres9089 Жыл бұрын

@@MsPoliteRants Panels are hardier than you might think. Goats might be a problem but sheep are not THAT destructive.

@duke3039 Жыл бұрын

Loved your presentation and explanation of Agrivoltaics. Wow....how I wish I owned land, positive and progressive solutions to current behaviors that have unlimited benefits now and in the future.

@MissionaryForMexico Жыл бұрын

Start with five gallion buckets you will be blessed!

@Londoncopy 2 жыл бұрын

Fish pond covered with a PV installation. PV panels shade the water, reduce evaporation and keep the water cool, while the remaining water evaporation cools the PV panels.

@someotherdude 2 жыл бұрын

Sounds eFISHient.

@HairLessBush 2 жыл бұрын

@@someotherdude now that's a GOOD ONE!! XD

@AH-mj1rd 2 жыл бұрын

not only fish ponds, but open water storage resevoirs

@mrbwadding 2 жыл бұрын

Floating solar is more expensive to clean and more prone to bird 💩

@mrbwadding 2 жыл бұрын

It's easier to let sheep graze under the panels

@AJB2K3 2 жыл бұрын

Finally a way to have a solar farm without loosing the land needed for agriculture.

@bala5340 2 жыл бұрын

New technology for electric power generationkzfaq.info/get/bejne/rsliiZVzuMWqnps.html

@brooza664 2 жыл бұрын

Car parks seem like a good place too

@hanumancommando9217 2 жыл бұрын

Smart roads,smart houses, traffic reducing facilities can make next level of progression.

@BrutusAlbion 2 жыл бұрын

@@hanumancommando9217 solar fricking roadways!

@tongshengwu171 2 жыл бұрын

@@BrutusAlbion no

@klimenkor Жыл бұрын

SoCal is a perfect location. This year for the first time I'm getting electricity credits while running AC whole day long. Thanks to solar panels installed last fall. The fact that LA didn't experience any power outages this year while temperatures hit all time records is a proof of solar panels benefit to the community in general. I will be super excited to see the synergy examples between agriculture and renewable energy production

@druid_zephyrus 2 жыл бұрын

For more than a year I have had this idea of combining a track that circles in time with solar movement (similar to circlular sprinklers of industrial farms) with fish/plant hydroponics below them slightly offset. Still requires lots of maths that I am too time crunched to do, and it wouldn't necessarily "make" extra electricity. But my dream is for them to be single kits that can be air dropped into extreme rural areas. Where they make enough electricity to maintain all of the fish and plant needs; along with the energy to move the rotating solar panels. A triple combo solar, vegetation and fish farming operation that doesn't need anything beyond water and maintenance. Go ahead and take the idea, I won't ever get around to designing or patenting it. I only ask that you actually try and make the airdrop thing a thing, too. -Your Friendly Neighborhood Druid

@SimonHaestoe Жыл бұрын

No idea wtf youre saying but it sounds awesome 🤠🏏

@Energy-Americas 2 жыл бұрын

the fact that you promoted the other video by "Just have a think", a competitor, shows that you really care about getting the word out! Plus, your whole manner of presentation shows that you really value and enjoy the service you are providing. If only more people could find their calling like you have ! Thanks, you are inspiring.

@jayeshmonlbs Жыл бұрын

That earned a subscription. ❤️

@koborkutya7338 Жыл бұрын

That's when I pushed the "Like" button. The video was good too, but still...

@tintunbirha 2 жыл бұрын

This is just the video upload that I needed. I have a roof top garden, and I was looking for space to install a solar plant for my house. Your video has given me a totally new perspective. Now my mind has started working.

@JoeZyzyx Жыл бұрын

I really like this idea. So many home gardeners in Texas with a month of 100+ temps and humidity below 30% lost their gardens, or had poor harvesting, except for those providing 30-50% shade cloth over the garden area. I use natural shade for my garden, which gets about 5 hours direct sunlight, and it does great every year. Do have one video showing it. Natural shading for part of a day, if one has it to east and west sides, can make gardening a lot easier, otherwise current practice is buying shade cloth.

@earthrepairian333 Жыл бұрын

We had a very similar experience this summer especially dry as it was. Our biomass is getting so thick in some areas that it kept the soil from totally dehydrating in places which was a pleasant surprise. Good to hear a fellow Texan's take on it. Carpe Diem!

@AestheticWithMaryam 2 жыл бұрын

This is the first time I saw your videos and I really like it . IT is clear that it is take much of time to make them by this quality . keep going man !

@louisifsc 2 жыл бұрын

The dual use aspect reminds me of trials with floating solar panels, over water reserves and canals with no transportation, to harvest energy and reduce evaporation in hot climates.

@phillyphil1513 2 жыл бұрын

#HOOVERDAM , #LEAKMEAD

@withthetittles9474 2 жыл бұрын

As a homestead and hobby farm, this video is great information for us to branch out. Thanks for your dedication on bringing info to the hungry masses.

@MasterCommandCEO 2 жыл бұрын

Great coverage. I designed farms like these over 8 years ago wish I had the capital to get plans off the ground.

@jadeyes1 Жыл бұрын

great presentation. I have been working yard scale pv projects using solar generated power. watching your video has given me new ideas

@mohd.saifullahmajid6029 2 жыл бұрын

Bi-facial panels mounted vertically on stilts.. Thank you very much for the idea.. We are embarking on a project integrating solar farm with existing aquaculture. We thought the runaway commodity price has torpedoed our dream.. Once again, thank you very very very very much

@loturzelrestaurant 2 жыл бұрын

I have the hobby to recommend sci-youtuber to science-fans. I'm often called random or even robot for that, but whatever. I keep going for those few that say 'Yes thanks'.

@Tomash79 2 жыл бұрын

Vertical bi-facial panels are not very wind-resistant... Please, keep that in mind.

@nelzster01 2 жыл бұрын

This is something I've been thinking a lot about recently. Really love the concept. It turns something which is a liability and turns it into an asset.

@MizuMing Жыл бұрын

I'd like to see this technology working up in Canada myself. On a smaller scale, I could see this being used in a home garden as well. Delicious food being grown and a little bit of extra energy put back into the home.

@MissMeganBeckett 11 ай бұрын

This looks like an idea that would be practical in my back garden on a very small scale, to shade my vegetables and as a sun shade over the park bench with a pergola for better shade and to run some outdoor lighting and a fan, I don’t know if that number of panels would be enough to run the fridge and freezer in a power outage or if it would be ideal with the snowfall we get here and the tornadoes that seem to go through town every couple years but it’s definitely worth looking into.

@drewpierson2674 2 жыл бұрын

As an agrivoltaics developer I very much appreciate this content. Super high quality video. Thanks!

@ElDJReturn 2 жыл бұрын

I love how you wrapped up your thoughts on PV Farming at the end. Really well put on all the challenges faced. Also, Just Have A Think is such a good channel for Climate issues. This may be my favorite episode from you yet Matt!

@UndecidedMF 2 жыл бұрын

So glad to hear that! Just Have A Think is a fantastic channel.

@ZR117 2 жыл бұрын

It's not farming idiots it's a scam morons they take your property to fill with Soler shit and there goes are live stock

@ElDJReturn 2 жыл бұрын

@@ZR117 I disagree. Do you have any evidence to back your claims?

@Asdfbedffhdsxe345 Жыл бұрын

Matt I love your videos and I want to adopt some of these projects on the land that I’m buying. My passion is wildflowers in UK. I have created many wildflower community projects in Cheshire and I have never faced so many problems with local councils. So much in fact that I became a Gorilla gardener who did highly illegal activities such as scattering seeds and making the community nicer. This is highly frowned upon!!!

@tajammulsiddiq9880 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for letting us know about this concept. Seems like a great idea. This concept should be tested in rural areas especially in places with hot climates. And if this succeeds, then it should be implemented in different areas. If This concept is used effectively(Identifying suitable Crops wrt to that area), then it will resolve the energy problem of that particular rural area and result in increasing income levels of people of those areas. (Self sustaining concept)

@kensimmons9960 2 жыл бұрын

Nice presentation! I can think of many high-value crops that could be grown this way - Strawberries, blueberries, asparagus, blackberries, table grapes (the equipment to harvest wine grapes is BIG, probably wouldn't work well), celery, broccoli, cauliflower. In my area (Upstate NY - Finger lakes area) we use very little irrigation and have many overcast days, so no great savings on irrigation water and probably reduced power generation from solar panels on many days. The break even point on this plan would be to produce enough income from power generation to negate the loss of income from farming activities PLUS the cost of hardware installation PLUS the maintenance costs. I'm sure that with the projected growth of electric cars over the next few years we will need expanded power generation everywhere, and the cost of electricity will increase with demand. I would love to see a pilot project in this area to determine the feasibility of this system. Of course any income generated from solar panels on dedicated farm land would have to be considered as farm income.

@420varsha 2 жыл бұрын

Well this is my PhD thesis at Purdue University! Thanks for bringing the awareness

@varun2250 2 жыл бұрын

All the best.

@shaileshpatel4332 2 жыл бұрын

Please do share idea so I m implement in my farm

@dr.georgie9865 2 жыл бұрын

What are best cash crops which can be grown below solar panels with ease

@bala5340 2 жыл бұрын

New technology for electric power generationkzfaq.info/get/bejne/rsliiZVzuMWqnps.html

@freeencouragement 2 жыл бұрын

Can I read it?

@ericlyons6251 2 жыл бұрын

Can’t believe I’m just now coming across this channel. Well done man 🤙

@StarrDust0 Жыл бұрын

I watch your channel and 'Just have a think' religiously...they're both so good.

@tirumalraot 2 жыл бұрын

More use cases 1. Solar panel over Parking lots 2. Solar panel over Fish tanks, aquaculture 3. Solar panel over agriculture water canals 4. Solar panels over the hydroponic, aquaponic, or aeroponic farm. Use of grow lights may be needed. 5. Solar panel over cattle shelters 6. Solar panel over building structures

@j.f.fisher5318 2 жыл бұрын

It would be interesting if a solar panel could be made red to let through the light the plants mostly use and absorb the light they don't need.

@phillyphil1513 2 жыл бұрын

good idea (understandably what's shown here is testing and proof of concept) rather than use traditional mass produced panels that would go on the roof of my house, they should create a bespoke/optimize panel for this use case. 6:40 - like the "strawberry panels" shown with more spacing for light transmission, i suspect somebody somewhere is working on what you propose for a 2nd/3rd phase test. the results so far seem promising and could be even more so with some "tweeks". #POTATOPANELS , #TOMATOPANELS

@bondgabebond4907 2 жыл бұрын

@@nateman10 I've seen a couple of videos about solar greenhouses. This can address a number of problems in certain areas in the U.S. and elsewhere. The desert is pretty miserable when thinking of growing anything. Solar powered greenhouses can do a lot, and that is to provide for the proper lighting via LEDs, recycle water and provide the proper temperature for growth. Winters can get quite cold, near and below freezing. These greenhouses can regulate the temp by letting light in and keeping cold out, and provide a great growing environment for winter crops. I see this use of solar with growing food as a much better alternative to just having solar farms that renders the land useless. This is a very positive step to take.

@kestrelsandcrows6871 2 жыл бұрын

Solar panels can't pick just the green light which is not used by the plants. If red is absorbed, then green and blue are absorbed, too. (That's because photon energies for green and blue are higher than photon energy for red). This is true for silicon panels. Maybe there are other materials with different absorption properties, but these would be too expensive. As far as I know, currently there is no viable alternative to silicon.

@ladyofthemasque 2 жыл бұрын

Plants use red and blue light to grow leaves and flowers, respectively (iirc; I could have that reversed). Green light is the bandwidth they don't use, which is in part why so many plants appear green to us; it's the color of light reflected back out to our eyes by the primary type of chlorophyl.

@mariamountain6718 2 жыл бұрын

That already exists. Search window see-through dolar glass windows.

@jollyjokress3852 2 жыл бұрын

This is so great what you can do with the PV. I work as a climate change person for a community. They want to build a PV plant soon. After what I have seen I'd highly adovocate this. Maybe local farmers can be motivated to do engage in PV-agriculture. But in Germany they also want to put PV on bogs. Since they are so rare in our anthropocene I would loathe using bogs for PV.

@AlexanderTzalumen 2 жыл бұрын

One thing rarely mentioned is that not only can plants get light saturated, PVs can convert 10x-20x the received light. If the plants are then saturated by chlorophyll-optimized LED grow lamps, the PV density could be raised to the same as a normal solar farm. The reduced water usage also reduces the amount of nitrate fertilizer needed, as less gets washed away by irrigation.

@nolanbannon3101 2 жыл бұрын

I think this is so important and impressive that it shouldn't matter if you have to make small sacrifices. It's especially easy if the farmer owns the solar panel or has a fixed interest rate. But even for the raspberry farmer who needed a weather shield anyway it is a benefit. I think a lot of time and thought should be put into the building of these but that they are so efficient for land use its actually crazy. Imagine doing this on city rooftop greenhouses on every building sturdy enough for it.

@confluence61 2 жыл бұрын

Well done for this video. In France, experiments are being carried out but mentalities and regulatory brakes exist as in your country. Yet the advantages that you describe do exist. Plus one that can make a difference, freeze protection. Our wine production was severely impacted this winter. Except on the test plot in the south-east of France ...

@koborkutya7338 Жыл бұрын

Some hail protection would occur too - though, of course, the panels themselves should be able to endure it too

@13minutestomidnight Жыл бұрын

This is a brilliant initiative. If governments subsidise solar panels used for agrivoltaics it could provide incredible benefits as a way to use agriculture and energy production from the same limited space, and farmers can clearly benefit from allowing agrivoltaics if they match specific crops to their solar panel use and local environment. With land for agriculture being so in need, this could really solve two issues at once. Furthermore, with our climate getting hotter, solar panels could be used strategically (placed very high up) to shade and conserve water use by trees or even parts of forests. With wide and sturdy poles, they could also be used to shade these large grazing animals too. There are some great applications here.

@docuzi Жыл бұрын

Hello! Thank you for the very interesting video. I think such a system would be very beneficial for those farmers who live in third world countries, such as mine, the Philippines. My country has two distinct seasons, mainly the dry and the wet seasons. Such a system would benefit farming areas who still farm crops during the dry season, and with the energy crisis, would still produce energy for the neighboring villages.

@g4egk 2 жыл бұрын

I wonder if they have rain water harvesting on these arrays of panels, would seem like another efficiency boost?

@LifeonThirdRockFromSun 2 жыл бұрын

Hi Greg, wonderful point. We have implemented rain water harvesting along with vegetable production in green house integrated with semi-transparent PV panels with different packing factors and the results are promising. check out this video for now, we will soon come out with final video.

@tangerinefalcon 2 жыл бұрын

They do have some hydro panels out for commercial sale currently that you can find but I’m not sure they have been efficiently paired with farming yet?

@inflationstation1 2 жыл бұрын

I have seen it done before, the water was harvested and used to support a fish pond. The fish pond produced ammonia from waste then bacteria cycles the ammonia into nitrate and phosphate which is used as nutrients for the farm. (They also sold the fish which I believe to be tilapia….although I have absolutely no doubt that trout would be a better substitute for our markets and just as good at the above)

@Stroporez 2 жыл бұрын

That would work only in green house or semi-greenhouse with drip irrigation. Horizontal panels decreasing evaporation from soil that is unrelated to plants may be enough

@beppeadr 2 жыл бұрын

Yes, we have and not only.

@bheppes 2 жыл бұрын

I'm very excited by Agrivoltaics .. I can think of several food crops here in north central California that could benefit from crop protection and the added revenue of the solar array.

@ItsSakuraKeiIRL Жыл бұрын

I'm so thankful to find your channel!

@jimgraham6722 2 жыл бұрын

Thankyou, it makes emminent sense. There are translucent solar panels that let through about 30% of incident light, similar to greenhouse glazing.

@Dr.Gehrig 2 жыл бұрын

I love this system. We should definitely be doing it wherever and whenever possible. Governments need to give this the support it needs and chop through that red tape.

@LinusFeynstein Жыл бұрын

Great video. My family has some farm land and this solar/agriculture combination is very promising

@philguer4802 2 жыл бұрын

Amazing!I would have thought for sure those two were grossly incompatible. Now just find a way to open those to public when the ground is at rest ,or by adding narrow path near the solar pannel support, or adding a suspended bridge and you obtain a little green/solarpunk paradise.

@Atspulgss 2 жыл бұрын

We should use the right tools for the result we are looking to obtain. In this case study, it was a better crop yield and lower operational cost to the farm on top of generating some energy where it would have generated none before. This model may not fit everything so it doesn't have to be used everywhere. It should be used where it makes sense. That said, I personally, think it's a great use of space to maximize its productivity.

@lifelearner47 2 жыл бұрын

This system of programmable adjustable pvs is proving interesting for high value crops such as vines in top of the market wine areas of France. Given that in SW France we've already gained 1.4°C temperature, I expect to see more of these apvs installed over the next 5 years.

@bala5340 2 жыл бұрын

New technology for electric power generationkzfaq.info/get/bejne/rsliiZVzuMWqnps.html

@zecanascimento1980 Жыл бұрын

Excelentes pontos levantados e sem dúvida é um futuro promissor que precisa ser incentivado, pretendo aplicar em minha casa e em seguida na minha horta, obrigado!

@dave327ful Жыл бұрын

Agrivoltaics are an exciting concept if found to be doable. The future is now!

@andrewevans7184 2 жыл бұрын

When it comes to future technologies this is without a doubt one of the most interesting and accessible channels on KZfaq. Thanks for all your work and research Matt

@maksisanca4361 2 жыл бұрын

I think it’s pretty cool that you can farm crops and also energy on same spot.. I’ve seen similar principles but in desert.. it could be solution for greening deserts 🌵

@mijalic1 Жыл бұрын

Great presentation. Thank you for your time and effort to make this video and share it with us. Greetings from Croatia.

@infinitelifedivineheartmed1924 2 жыл бұрын

The solar panels can also be used to collect condensate water or due that collects on them. This will be fresh water in most cases. The reduction to need for water in the arid regions is a far greater advantage. In inhospitable regions fodder crops can be grown in waste containers under the solar panels.

@faridjafari6356 2 жыл бұрын

I remember that when I was a child most of the emphasize on solar energy was about panels used to heat water with sunlight. Of course, since they were using direct sunlight their efficiency in warming water was higher than obtaining electric energy from sun and turning it into heat again. I was wondering that why don’t we use a combination of both solar panels which make electricity and solar panels which heat water on the home roof? The sunlight can primarily be used to make electricity and since only almost 20 percent of the sunlight energy is turned into electricity, the rest which turns into heat can be used to warm water which passes through tubes beneath the electric solar panels and is in direct touch with them to absorb the heat. By this way the temperature of the electric solar panels will also be reduced by the heat absorbing tubes filled with water and this will always keep the efficiency of the electric solar panels high.

@stevehazim5823 2 жыл бұрын

As with all great ideas!... It's already been invented. They are still in development/new, but they work just like you describe. A photovoltaic solar cell on top to produce electricity, with conventional solar tubing directly attached underneath to heat water. Only a portion of the roof would need to be covered by this type of combo solar panel, because you can only use so much hot water.

@faridjafari6356 2 жыл бұрын

@@stevehazim5823 Thank you for your information.

@war1ta 2 жыл бұрын

Will try this in my wife's hometown in Thailand could be a gamechanger for the community.

@ZesPak 2 жыл бұрын

Tbh seeing what is happening with the electrification of farm equipment, just being able to run your farm equipment from parts of your field could be a huge plus.

@TheHeavynico 2 жыл бұрын

A very smart idea! Another problem I think you missed would be how to connect these farms to the energy grid. It is unfortunately so that you cannot introduce a large amount of energy to a certain area of the grid if no-one will use it, or the grid is not sophisticated enough to handle the amount of electricity. Sadly, the electricity grid out in rural areas are often not well developed and this development introduces a further cost to the agrivoltaic system :(

@lukasschwab8011 2 жыл бұрын

I don't see that problem in Europe. Population density here is very high here and wind turbines are also popular so there is a way to integrate them into the grid, especially in Germany. In the US I could imagine it being to rural in some places but Texas also somehow found a way to integrate lots of wind turbines.

@ScottyDMcom 2 жыл бұрын

Fascinating. I'm thinking of ground-mount solar for my home. I have a perfectly south-facing hillside in my large backyard. I'd like to expand my bit of terracing and to more gardening on the hillside. Since my electric use is pretty steady throughout the year, it'd be best to optimize the panels for winter production, which means production would be low in the summer, but close to matching winter production, so it's okay... no, that'd be perfect. Because of winter optimization panels will be steeper than 45°. And of course to set the panels so lower rows don't shade the rows further up the hill, they'd need to be spaced apart. Like that berry farm in the video, I too have hail problems. So perhaps something like hardware cloth between the rows of panels could be a real crop saver. The increased expense will be only getting 2 posts from a 20-foot long steel pipe, rather than 4 (panels mounted high). And the extra cost of hardware cloth vs something cheaper like shade cloth (because I need more sun to pass through). I have not terraced my hillside yet. I suspect I could optimize placement of the panels so in the summer they spend part of the day shading the stone walls of the terrace and not the crops. It could work. I'll have to do a bit of engineering.

@shahbazfawbush 2 жыл бұрын

Lovely.

@davidcunningham2074 Жыл бұрын

great to see you giving dave borlach a shout- you two between have pretty well got the whole field covered.

@jondamazo4080 2 жыл бұрын

Wow! For the crops that benefit from the shade? No doubt. What an amazing concept.

@JohnSmith-kf1fc 2 жыл бұрын

i just gotta say i love you man, i dig every single one of your videos and its a pleasure to see you grow. Peace Edited after watching video: and i forgot to say one of things i like is the way your present it: straight to the point, fitting a 45min documentary in a 15min format with the added je ne sait quoi and fun included. thanks, ill have some more of that!

@tauIrrydah 2 жыл бұрын

I know that plants can help keep the panels cooler so they stay in their optimum operating temperature range.

@nidhisawant4313 6 ай бұрын

I once visited a city in Maharashtar, India where the I saw almost all the bus stops had solar panels over their roof. I also see a lot over parking spaces in other parts of the state. Other hotter regions also have huge solar farms

@mohdsalem8918 2 жыл бұрын

Great project, I hope that some day most of farms will dual use of land, I have 5 acers of land at my home country (Jordan) and you gave me a great idea, thank you

@naeemhammmed6154 Ай бұрын

اظن لو استخدمت الطاقة الشمسية باستخراج الماء من الهواء بيفيدك كمان

@naeemhammmed6154 Ай бұрын

i think if use solar energy to extract water from air for plants it also helps in dry area like Jordan

@darlenekennedy7276 2 жыл бұрын

This is absolutely fascinating! I know the focus is on large-scale farming and energy gathering. However, I can't help but wonder if this couldn't be even more beneficial if the scale was minimized to households, city gardens, and the developing world! Better and more efficient land use is always positive and would be fantastic in areas where the urban spread is problematic, there are "food desserts', or extreme impacts on land uses due to infrastructure development and expansion.

@samgerland6087 Жыл бұрын

100% much more efficient to produce the energy (on the spot where it is needed), like you say minimized to household sizes, gardens etc. Obviously though "farms" aswell would be needed, but in the end of the day. Basically any and every househould should become self sufficient more or less with solar & storage. It should really become mandatory for housing etc to include solar already at design stage for maximum output and clean design integrations. For an example we can already start making our whole housing walls etc in solar tiles. and that is just 1 single tiny part of the story.

@DiegoSouza-im6zj 2 жыл бұрын

Thats amazing. I wonder when this kind of arrangment will be taking place here in Brazil! Thanks for the video!

@telstar2427 Жыл бұрын

this topic is very interesting. esp here in malaysia where you get consistent sunlight all year round. but Idk about the cost or even whether its sustainable.

@GiuseppeJoseph 2 жыл бұрын

most excellent video. I am doing my best to share these stories on linkedin with solar professionals who just seem to be clueless about vertical bifacial panels and agrivoltaics

@thomasgreen5109 2 жыл бұрын

Solar Panels plus corals? The ability to control sunlight intensity on some nearshore coral reefs may be another application of this technology that is a win-win. Researchers, such as Scott Condie, are currently investigating what amount of shading is beneficial for corals that experience thermal stress. The Undecided video collection is such an excellent video series on current technology!

@juliodeltoro6352 2 жыл бұрын

I used to be a Site Manager for a 200MW solar farm in Mexico and had the goal to use sheep as an ecological way to cut vegetation. Unfortunately, locals and my company weren't too interested in that, but I still think is that this kind of interaction needs to be done.

@nguyenvocong2671 Жыл бұрын

Nice sharing from you, may i have a chance to get your experiences in solar farm projects - thanks

@FarmtheSunUSA Жыл бұрын

Did you give up after just one try? Perhaps, pollinator fields or crops that like some shade during the day could be a solution.

@stargenes03 Жыл бұрын

Hello Sir, can I Dm you to learn about Agrivoltaics

@seamusreilly6522 2 жыл бұрын

Excellent delivery Matt, great content, subscribed

@shadowkaged Жыл бұрын

In case of the vertical model, plant type and compatibility, shadow vs direct light, humidity ect... could make for an extended farming season almost thoughout the year, if for instance combined with some temperature/wind regulation. and what if aquaphonics is added into the model? Then you'd have additional nutrients going into the water other than nutrients form soil and fertilizers. This would be a very nice setup for a smaller area, for instance for a homestead or maybe a smaller farming community that depends more on manual labor than on big machinery.

@markwarren515 2 жыл бұрын

Aside from having a slightly cooler and a little more shaded work area for farmers. Another big possible win to this is it could eventually lower the cost of produce in the store by lowering the cost of farming. Today’s farmers face high fuel prices that could be saved by switching to battery powered farm equipment. Farm equipment could be charged by the solar panels, possibly eliminating the cost of fuel all together. Another benefit of that is the cost savings on equipment maintenance as EV’s are known for having less maintenance over fossil fueled counterparts. Also there wouldn’t be the air pollution associated with fossil fueled equipment. The the plants are not only providing food, but also filtering the air. So not only would you be providing food and electricity on the same land, you’ll also be providing fresher cleaner air

@nickschaps4022 2 жыл бұрын

Do you know how large a battery it would take to power a piece of farm equipment? We are 4-5 decades away from power storage efficient enough for that. The weight of the battery alone is enough to make it totally unreasonable because it would cause massive soil compaction. Not to mention the cost of the equipment, if a Tesla model Y is 100k tell me how much a tractor is going to cost? A million bucks? If a pickup EV isn’t capable of pulling a trailer even 80 miles tell me how a massive tractor is going to pull a massive piece of tillage equipment or a planter all day long? It ain’t happening anytime soon. The wasted time alone would be a huge cost to a farmer.

@markwarren515 2 жыл бұрын

@@nickschaps4022 battery size depends on the size of equipment you are trying to run. You wouldn’t be operating huge combines in an area like this. It just wouldn’t fit. Ryobi makes tillers that run one 40v batteries that can easily be swapped out. Ryobi and ego both make lawn equipment that run on batteries that can be swapped out with fresh batteries once the batteries they are running on are depleted. Nobody said they had to have a battery big enough to run all day. Smaller equipment would be necessary for these more confined spaces rather than massive farm equipment used in big open fields. Batteries are getting better and better all the time as more demand causes more innovation.

@markwarren515 2 жыл бұрын

@@nickschaps4022 honestly, I feel like with this type of farming, there will be more man power involved than big equipment. The use of small equipment will probably be much more usefully so battery powered sizable equipment wouldn’t be very far fetched

@jirue 2 жыл бұрын

@@nickschaps4022 I think you can offset the battery weight issue with some dual purposing of the overhead solar canopy. Setup the canopy with electric feedwires like in a city monorail systems to act as the delivery system for the tractor, then the tractor can be more efficient by not carrying the battery weight. Hell, if you design it right you can fully automate an electric tractor to run along these wires under the canopy without a human having to control it.