Farmers Earn 25 Times More Revenue by Harvesting Solar Energy Instead of Crops
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📰 The quick summary: Farmers in California’s Central Valley are installing solar panels on fallowed land, generating 25 times more revenue than growing crops while conserving precious water resources.
📈 One key stat: Solar installations generate $124,000 per hectare annually, 25 times the value of using that same land for crops, while saving enough water to supply 27 million people each year.
💬 One key quote: “If a farmer owns 10 acres of land, and they choose to convert one or two acres to a solar array, that could produce enough income for them to feel security for their whole operation,” said Jake Stid, a renewable energy landscape scientist at Michigan State University.
1️⃣ The big picture: Farmers across the globe are discovering a profitable new revenue stream by converting portions of their agricultural land to solar energy production. In California’s water-stressed Central Valley, this shift addresses multiple challenges simultaneously. Growers install solar panels on fallowed land, using the electricity to power farm equipment and selling excess energy to utilities. This practice provides financial stability for farmers, conserves water in drought-prone regions, and contributes to renewable energy goals. Some innovative farmers are even growing crops underneath panels or allowing livestock to graze there, creating complementary systems that benefit both agriculture and energy production.
2️⃣ Why is this good news: Converting farmland to solar creates a reliable income stream that helps farmers weather economic uncertainties and climate challenges. The electricity generated collectively in the Central Valley could power approximately 500,000 households while conserving enough water to supply 27 million people annually. Solar installations can actually improve soil health through reduced sun exposure and increased moisture retention. Agrisolar practices like growing shade-tolerant crops under panels or allowing livestock to graze there create synergistic benefits – panels provide shade for crops and animals, while grazing livestock maintain vegetation and fertilize soil with their droppings. After panels reach the end of their 25-30 year lifespan, the land beneath them is often more nutrient-rich than before, ready to return to crop production if desired.
3️⃣ What’s next: California needs to address reduced compensation rates for solar energy that have dropped by 75 percent on average, making investment less attractive to farmers. Agricultural markets must adapt to shifts in food production as some farmland converts to solar. More research is needed on optimal agrisolar systems that allow for both energy production and food cultivation on the same land.
Read the full story here: Grist – Farmers are making bank harvesting a new crop: Solar energy
