Solar Farming

It’s a well-known fact that adding solar elements to any operations can help reduce electricity costs and, sometimes, even contribute as another source of income when you have surplus energy to sell back to the power company.

Some funding programs and grant opportunities in certain states will even help pay for the procurement and installation of the equipment, offsetting high initial investment costs.

So how can going solar get even better - Preliminary findings indicate that grazing grasses actually grow better under solar panels, by as much as 90%! Initial research is showing the increase is mostly due to water efficiency – in other words, the ability of the soil to store more water for the growing season.

Essentially, the solar panels creates a completely different microclimate under the units, altering the air temperature, humidity, wind speed, wind direction, and soil moisture. The shadow produced by the solar panels allows more water to be stored in soils during the winter months and, therefore, having more water readily available during spring and summer seasons. It also lowers temperatures and provides a wind break for growing plants.

All in all, the solar panels create an inviting and ideal growing environment. Now, scientists and engineers are trying to figure out how to capitalize on this finding. Things that still need to be further investigated include a solar schematic that would allow for grasses to be easily grazed or harvested, which grasses have the highest potential for increased yields given the growing conditions, how to angle the solar units to maximize the shadow produce.  

“…we’re trying to develop a deeper understanding of how we can engineer the system to be technically feasible, environmentally sound and economically viable” remarks Dr. Elnaz Hassapour Adeh, the lead researcher.

 Royal Consulting Services, Inc. has teamed with strategic partner Dr. Barry Jacobson, President of Solar Impact and also an Agricultural Engineer, to help leverage his knowledge of solar power systems and the agricultural engineering expertise of the staff at Royal Consulting Services to offer outstanding services in the field of solar agricultural engineering!

Read about the current research and contributing factors leading to this increased yield in grazing grasses.