What is agrivoltaics and why is it significant

by JSM
(New Jersey)

Visitor Question: I'm in New Jersey and am very interested in a possible new comprehensive plan or something similar that my county is discussing. This plan will be advisory only, but I would like to understand how this might affect my neighbors and me.

The term I need to understand is "agrivoltaics." The consultant said Rutgers is experimenting with this right now and I can't fathom how agriculture is going to generate electricity. What am I missing here? Do you think this is important for a county that is still partly agricultural but also close to suburban and even urban kinds of development?

Editors Reply: In spite of the fancy planning term, the concept is really pretty simple. But it's not what you imagine.

The idea is that solar panels and agriculture can co-exist in the same space. I too read in professional literature that Rutgers is experimenting with different configurations.

The solar panels could be positioned mostly vertically or in the more common way where they lie mostly horizontally. If the horizontal solar panels are high enough, potentially some crops might grow near the edges of the panels, but we all know that crops need sunlight.

When it comes to livestock, the interaction seems easier for me to grasp. For instance, sheep could graze under solar panels quite easily.

When crops, vegetables, or hay are the desired crops, then solar arrays are interspersed with open field areas where the crops grow. This would serve the purpose of lowering the weather risk for farmers, since the sale of excess solar power would provide a very different kind of "cash crop." At least this is what Rutgers seems to be doing, in my cursory reading of the available information.

Why this is superior to devoting a contiguous land area to a larger solar array and then a contiguous field area to conventional agriculture, whether grazing or crops, is not something I understand or appreciate.

However, the whole concept can be interesting especially for areas such as New Jersey where both the demand for agricultural products and the ever-increasing demand for electricity are in close proximity.

In short, I don't think you should oppose this idea in the county's planning, but since the concept is fairly new, you may want to advocate for keeping the language broad so that as best practices emerge, your county can adapt.

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