At Colorado State University, a unique garden is being cultivated under a row of rooftop solar panels. This is an example of rooftop agrivoltaics, a concept that aims to mimic a forest on top of a building. The shade provided by the solar panels is used to grow various crops, while also generating clean energy and making the building more energy efficient.
The rooftop garden is overseen by horticulturalist Jennifer Bousselot. Despite the harsh weather conditions, the garden has produced 600 pounds of frost-intolerant crops in one season. Even under the intense sunlight, cool-season foods such as leafy greens continue to grow under the shade of the solar panels.
Bousselot believes rooftop agrivoltaics can address the critical needs of society – food, energy, and water. The approach allows for the production of food and energy in a space that is typically unused, while also conserving water. The overall goal is to increase food production for growing urban populations while saving water and generating clean energy.
Key Takeaways:
- Colorado State University is using rooftop solar panels to create a garden, a concept known as agrivoltaics, that can grow food and generate clean energy simultaneously.
- The shade from the solar panels mimics the protective shade of trees in a forest, promoting the growth of plants and making the buildings more energy efficient.
- Agrivoltaics can be a solution to meet the increasing demand for food and energy in urban areas, while also conserving water.
“The idea behind rooftop agrivoltaics is to emulate a forest on top of a building. Just as the shade of towering trees protects the undergrowth from sun-stress, so too can solar panels encourage the growth of plants—the overall goal being to grow more food for ballooning urban populations, all while saving water, generating clean energy, and making buildings more energy efficient.”
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