By Blake Jackson
Steven Loheide, a civil and environmental engineering professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, is at the forefront of a groundbreaking initiative exploring the synergy between solar energy and agriculture. His research focuses on agrivoltaics, a concept that involves integrating solar panels with agricultural practices.
“Ultimately, the idea here is to try to have the land do double duty,” Loheide says. “That is, to produce energy that can sustainably meet demand, while also being able to feed a growing global population.”
Loheide and his team are studying a 15-acre solar farm at the UW-Madison Kegonsa Research Campus. This site provides a real-world laboratory to investigate the hydrological and ecological impacts of solar farms.
One key area of interest is the influence of solar panels on soil moisture.
“There are two primary ways solar panels affect hydrologic processes,” says Loheide. “The first is that they’re impermeable, so any water hitting them is redirected toward the ‘drip line,’ where you then have a concentration of water hitting the ground. That can push soil moisture deeper toward the groundwater or cause more runoff if there’s too much for the ground to take in at once. The second way is that plants growing in a solar panel’s shadow get a lot less sun and therefore have less energy to transpire. Because of that, they use less water.”
The researchers are studying both fixed and sun-tracking solar panels to understand their varying impacts. While fixed panels provide consistent shade, sun-tracking panels offer more variable light conditions. These differences can influence the types of crops that can thrive beneath the panels.
Loheide emphasizes the flexibility of agrivoltaics. "There's no one-size-fits-all approach," he says. "The optimal configuration depends on factors like climate, soil type, and the specific crops being grown."
In regions like Wisconsin, where sunlight is less abundant, agrivoltaics can be particularly beneficial. By carefully selecting crops and optimizing the solar panel layout, farmers can maximize both energy production and agricultural yields.
Loheide's research has the potential to revolutionize the way we think about land use. By combining renewable energy and sustainable agriculture, we can create more resilient and productive landscapes.
Photo Credit: istock-simplycreativephotography
Categories: Wisconsin, Education, Energy