US DOE Announced $80-Million to Integrate Solar Energy and Farming

The US Department of Energy (DOE) announced 8 million dollars for six solar energy research projects across six states and the District of Columbia, which will provide new economic opportunities for the rural communities, farmers, and the solar energy industry.

The funding will support agrivoltaics, the co-location of agricultural production and solar energy production on the same land, and it also aims to decrease barriers to community and utility-scale solar energy deployments while increasing benefits for local communities and farmers.

By increasing access to solar energy, the new energy projects reflect the continued commitment of the US government to ensure that every community unlocks the cost-efficient and public health benefits of a clean energy future. The projects will also support US President Joe Biden’s goals to decarbonize the electricity industry by 2035 and achieve a net-zero carbon emissions target by 2050.

Jennifer M. Granholm, US energy secretary, said that DOE’s research into the agrivoltaics provides great opportunity to pair solar energy production with safe and robust crop production ensuring rural communities reap the complete economic benefits of a clean energy future.

Jennifer M. Granholm added that with these new projects, they are supporting sustainable agriculture and will invest in the technologies that enable them to make their climate goals a reality, and a win-win for the planet and hardworking farmers.

The US DOE is focused on making agrivoltaic practices easier to adopt, increasing benefits for farmers, the solar industry, rural communities, and lowering the cost across the United States.