Main Content
The RAP Project can be found in the “Solar Farm” category. Please visit the NAAA25 website and cast your vote!
Rutgers Agrivoltaics Program: 2024 Agrivoltaics World Conference Publication
Main Content
Congratulations to the RAP Team regarding the conference proceedings publication released this week!
“Lessons Learned from Three Agrivoltaic Installations in New Jersey”
Abstract: Agrivoltaics is a new technology that has the potential to positively impact commercial farming by combining agricultural practices with the generation of solar energy. While some yield reduction is to be expected, resulting from less sunlight reaching the plant canopy and ground occupied by support structures, the generated electricity provides a low-risk supplemental income to farmers. In order to combine farming with electricity generation, agrivoltaic systems use a lower ground coverage ratio compared to normal solar farms and the PV panels are often mounted higher above the ground in order to facilitate the movement of agricultural equipment and to reduce the contrast between shaded and non-shaded areas.
With funding provided from the state of New Jersey and the New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station (NJAES), we designed and installed three unique agrivoltaic research systems at Rutgers/NJAES farms. These projects were recently completed and are generating electricity that is exported to the grid. This paper discusses the lessons we have learned along the way, including all the steps necessary to see an agrivoltaic project through to completion.
Link to full text available in Resources or on the Conference Website
S&P Global, Spotlight on Agrivoltaics
Main Content
With agrivoltaics, solar farms can add wheat, sheep as new cash crops by Kirsten Errick
Solar energy developers are increasingly looking to open their facilities to another type of farming: crops and livestock.
Agrivoltaics, the dual use of land for solar energy generation and agricultural production, is getting more attention, according to a July 2024 report released by the Solar and Storage Industries Institute. More than 70% of farmers are open to large-scale solar projects on their properties if system designs allow for continued agricultural production, according to the report.
About 10 GW of US solar, or 7.7% of the fleet, is agrivoltaics, according to US National Renewable Energy Laboratory’s InSPIRE data on the Open Energy Information platform…
