New research from Colorado State University and Cornell University shows that the presence of solar panels in Colorado’s grasslands may reduce water stress, improve soil moisture levels and – particularly during dry years – increase plant growth by about 20% or more compared to open fields. The findings were published in Environmental Research Letters this…
Strategic use of solar arrays could provide financial boost, help farmers continue producing crops and even save water As farmers debate whether fields should be used for agriculture or solar panels, new research from Michigan State University says the answer could be both. Jake Stid, a graduate student in the College of Natural Science Hydrogeology Lab, analyzed…
The Andalusian government has expropriated several hectares of agricultural and livestock land for solar panels. Rafael Navas Ferrer, president of the Agricultural Association of Young Farmers (ASAJA) in Cordoba, Spain, pointed out the risks of such policies for agriculture in a conversation with europeanconservative.com. Navas Ferrer argued, Agricultural land has a productive value that should not…
In a study published in Nature, researchers at Linköping University have developed a method to recycle all parts of a solar cell repeatedly without environmentally hazardous solvents. The recycled solar cell has the same efficiency as the original one. The solar cell is made of perovskite and the main solvent is water. Electricity use is…
Clean, renewable energy sources like solar are beginning to replace dirty, polluting energy sources like gas and oil. However, one issue with solar that needs to be addressed as it continues to expand is the amount of physical space solar arrays take up. Luckily, there are several viable ways to work around this issue or…
As the world races to meet net-zero targets, emissions from all industrial sectors must be reduced more urgently than ever. Agriculture is an important area of focus as it contributes up to 22 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions. One approach to decarbonising agriculture involves integrating solar panels – or photovoltaics (PVs) – into…
The solar energy industry has long been portrayed as being at odds with traditional farming, as both require lots of land and are presumably in competition with one another. However, a new approach called “agrivoltaics” is integrating the two industries together and showing that they can coexist while benefiting one another, the Washington Post reported. Agrivoltaics…
Solar panel recycling plays a role in the energy sector because it tackles the environmental and economic issues linked to disposing of old solar panels. As the global energy installation continues to surge, many solar panels will reach their end-of-life stage in the coming years, resulting in waste. Recycling these panels prevents substances from entering…
As the world races to meet net-zero targets, emissions from all industrial sectors must be reduced more urgently than ever. Agriculture is an important area of focus as it contributes up to 22% of global greenhouse gas emissions – almost as much as the energy sector. One approach to decarbonising the agricultural sector is agrivoltaics….
The Hellenic Electricity Distribution Network Operator (HEDNO) has launched another significant green transition project aimed at making the Greek island of Ai Stratis energy self-sufficient through the exclusive use of renewable energy sources. The pilot project, titled “Ai Stratis Green Island”, is designed to meet all electricity and heating needs of the island’s residents by…