Solar Panels Plus Farming? Agrivoltaics Explained.
Videos
Grades6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12Economics, Engineering
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Provided by Undecided with Matt Ferrell
What it is
- In this video, host Matt Ferrell introduces agrivoltaics, an exciting new approach for maximizing land use by farming crops underneath solar panels.
- Students will learn about the benefits and challenges of using agrivoltaics and how some organizations are attempting to solve these challenges.
Teaching tips
Positives
- This video is a great way for students to learn about the costs and benefits of a potential design solution to combat climate change.
- The video shows how agrivoltaics is being used in the real world.
Additional Prerequisites
- This video has a sponsored ad from 5:28-5:49.
- Students should be familiar with terms such as NIMBY, guise, energy cooperatives, subsidies, and synergistic effects.
- Teachers may need to review concepts before showing the video, including regulation laws, the free market (costs and investment), and operational costs.
Differentiation
- Science classes could use this video as part of a research project about innovations in renewable energy technologies, including dual-use renewable energy examples, or to inform an engineering design challenge.
- Students could come up with a list of other dual-use climate solutions.
- Other related resources include this lesson on advocating for the use of renewable energy, this interactive tool on energy and land use, and this activity that compares types of renewable energies.
From the scientist review
This resource is a 13-minute video exploring agrivoltaics or the emerging area where solar panels are installed on agricultural land. Solar panels can be installed over or around existing crops, which might reduce crop yields for sun-hungry crops, but it may increase crop yields for shade-loving crops in regions with high solar resources. Examples are presented, including a raspberry farm in the Netherlands. This resource is recommended for teaching.
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