Agrivoltaics: Solar Panels Bring Life to Struggling Farms | NowThis

Поділитися
Вставка
  • Опубліковано 5 вер 2024
  • These solar panels are breathing new life into farms struggling amid trade wars, high commodity prices, and the climate crisis.
    » Subscribe to NowThis: go.nowth.is/New...
    » Sign up for our newsletter KnowThis to get the biggest stories of the day delivered straight to your inbox: go.nowth.is/Kn...
    This video was created in partnership with Emerson Collective www.emersoncol....
    For more climate crisis news, stories on environmental issues, and world news, subscribe to NowThis News.
    #SolarPanels #Farming #ClimateChange #News #NowThis #NowThisNews
    Connect with NowThis
    » Like us on Facebook: go.nowth.is/New...
    » Tweet us on Twitter: go.nowth.is/New...
    » Follow us on Instagram: go.nowth.is/New...
    » Find us on Snapchat Discover: go.nowth.is/New...
    NowThis is your premier news outlet providing you with all the videos you need to stay up to date on all the latest in trending news. From entertainment to politics, to viral videos and breaking news stories, we’re delivering all you need to know straight to your social feeds. We live where you live.
    / nowthisnews
    @nowthisnews

КОМЕНТАРІ • 574

  • @53anHarri50n
    @53anHarri50n 4 роки тому +145

    This is the most positive news story I’ve seen in months 🙂

    • @recruit8921
      @recruit8921 4 роки тому +1

      @Robert Loewe well it could have been a blessing if china and the usa done a better job.

    • @michaelantoun9353
      @michaelantoun9353 4 роки тому

      @Robbierobot574 There's a lot of truth to this. One of the things that happened as the pandemic began was there was a sharp drop in electricity demand. Since you save more money shutting down a coal power plant than shutting off solar panels, a lot of fossil fuel sources were shut down temporarily, and some of them forever.

    • @branbello
      @branbello 4 роки тому +1

      You obviously haven't watched Planet of the Humans that is why you buy into this propaganda.

    • @TheBighatter
      @TheBighatter 3 роки тому

      Until....you stop and think of the logistical obstacles of this on a large scale.

    • @antediluvianatheist5262
      @antediluvianatheist5262 3 роки тому

      @@recruit8921 Uh, go look into China.
      They hit all their targets, early, and made new, stronger commitments to Climate change fighting.

  • @cuongtruong6043
    @cuongtruong6043 4 роки тому +270

    Green energy and technology is the present and future. We need to embrace it more to have a sustainable future for our energy needs.

    • @cuongtruong6043
      @cuongtruong6043 4 роки тому +10

      @Goorpijp Wessel Chernobyl, Sellafield, Fukushima

    • @zoren7249
      @zoren7249 4 роки тому +10

      @@cuongtruong6043 Better yet, CLIMATE CHANGE. You understand there's more than just Uranium, right? Search up Thorium.

    • @cuongtruong6043
      @cuongtruong6043 4 роки тому +3

      @Goorpijp Wessel Few more than what I listed. Market forces will dictate. Mine and your opinion account for nothing.

    • @cuongtruong6043
      @cuongtruong6043 4 роки тому +4

      @Goorpijp Wessel Yeah, you're right, you did state facts. But it doesn't make a difference to what the rest of the world does re: energy source.

    • @2020_Visi0n
      @2020_Visi0n 4 роки тому

      @@cuongtruong6043 Please research Thorium reactors. Main reason we don't have them is the same reason electric cars were subdued for so long.
      Profit.

  • @zachdancy5828
    @zachdancy5828 4 роки тому +22

    EVERY Farmer needs to see this!!!

  • @carnosinehobs7759
    @carnosinehobs7759 4 роки тому +116

    I like that now this does this stuff every once in awhile

    • @18matts
      @18matts 4 роки тому +9

      My brain is melting reading that... What are you talking about? And why did 64 people like that comment without questioning lol

    • @shamicentertainment1262
      @shamicentertainment1262 4 роки тому +1

      bro please what on earth do you mean

    • @MickenCZProfi
      @MickenCZProfi 4 роки тому +1

      @@shamicentertainment1262"now this" is the name of the channel.

    • @shamicentertainment1262
      @shamicentertainment1262 4 роки тому +2

      @@MickenCZProfi haha ok that makes sense, i didn't even notice the name of the channel

  • @rblxmach
    @rblxmach 4 роки тому +93

    This is amazing! We have to advance solar technology as much as possible!

    • @randomrangoon5476
      @randomrangoon5476 4 роки тому +7

      Renewable energy in general

    • @TheLiamster
      @TheLiamster 4 роки тому +3

      One big problem with Photovoltaics is that they use lithium which is rare and expensive. Lithium is also poisonous and if not used carefully can damage the environment. There is also the manufacturing, transportation and installation of solar panels which takes a lot of time and money.

    • @DAndyLord
      @DAndyLord 4 роки тому +5

      @@TheLiamster That environmental damage amortizes pretty quickly when compared the environmental damage of to more traditional generation methods. PV is way less damaging and destructive than hydroelectric.

    • @timflames
      @timflames 4 роки тому +7

      @@TheLiamster there's no lithium in crystalline silicon solar panels. It's a major component of battery storage systems though.

    • @alex.velasco
      @alex.velasco 4 роки тому +6

      @@TheLiamster I see that you are working hard to discredit renewable energy. Repeatedly copying and pasting the same remark in comments section. Are you paid by the fossil fuel industry?

  • @justinwheeler5614
    @justinwheeler5614 4 роки тому +40

    This is a big win for green energy and progress. Struggling conservative farmers will come to appreciate green energy, even if only for the financial support it brings them. Goodbye fracking, strip mining, smog. Hello sunshine!

    • @adamrodgers9175
      @adamrodgers9175 4 роки тому +2

      They could build a massive building also with solar panels on top and grow plants, different plants in doors with LED lights. This isn't a food type plant but I've been growing succulents and cacti using a 45 w full spectrum light that has been going for years now. LED lights last for years.

    • @scottwilliams3665
      @scottwilliams3665 4 роки тому +1

      You will still need oil for centuries until.we have better economical storage and better nuclear options.

    • @TheLiamster
      @TheLiamster 4 роки тому +2

      One big problem with Photovoltaics is that they use lithium which is rare and expensive. Lithium is also poisonous and if not used carefully can damage the environment. There is also the manufacturing, transportation and installation of solar panels which takes a lot of time and money.

    • @raybin6873
      @raybin6873 4 роки тому

      What about water supply? Word has it groundwater resources are getting depleted. 😕

    • @youstolethecookie
      @youstolethecookie 4 роки тому +1

      @@TheLiamster sound like jobs to me.

  • @tylerhackner9731
    @tylerhackner9731 4 роки тому +62

    This is why I love solar technology

    • @rblxmach
      @rblxmach 4 роки тому +8

      @Goorpijp Wessel You should learn that even if it's made with materials from the environment, It's still improvement from dirty coal plants ;)

    • @peforster6725
      @peforster6725 4 роки тому

      I wonder what the life of the panel is. Hopefully Technology will find ways to recycle the components & make them more ecofriendly. We have to stop with carbon producing energy. We also need more research into improving nuclear power production.

    • @juanikpo95
      @juanikpo95 4 роки тому +2

      @Goorpijp Wessel Life cycle impact in grams of CO2e per kwh for solar is 1/20th of coal's (50 vs 1001). Wind and nuclear are 1/100th, with nuclear winning out (11 and 9, respectively). So yes, loving either of those technologies is much better than fossil fuels, I don't see the problem with OP's statement.

    • @hitreset0291
      @hitreset0291 4 роки тому +1

      @@peforster6725 'No' to nuclear. Too deadly and its waste hangs around forever. Bad idea.

    • @TheLiamster
      @TheLiamster 4 роки тому

      One big problem with Photovoltaics is that they use lithium which is rare and expensive. Lithium is also poisonous and if not used carefully can damage the environment. There is also the manufacturing, transportation and installation of solar panels which takes a lot of time and money.

  • @hyric8927
    @hyric8927 4 роки тому +44

    This looks to be especially helpful in semi-arid climates and coastal deserts.

  • @brickbunny9686
    @brickbunny9686 4 роки тому +10

    FINALLY!!! SOMEONE ELSE REALIZED IT WAS A GOOD IDEA TO COMBINED SOLAR POWER SYSTEMS AND FARMING IN THIS WAY!!!
    And they made a UA-cam video of it. Nice.
    THANK YOU!!!

  • @horsthorst1266
    @horsthorst1266 4 роки тому +46

    It's an amazing technology. In Germany we research it as well. The panel efficiency can even increase due to the evaporation cooling of the plants leafs underneath.
    Swiss company Insolight has record 30% efficient agrivoltaic cells which are even translucent.
    The future is amazing :-)

    • @michellem4287
      @michellem4287 4 роки тому

      Img I watched Farmer Derek go to your Huge show and the developments you have made are so amazing! Thank you Farmers for being so innovative!! You Rock!

    • @ruffian2952
      @ruffian2952 4 роки тому +9

      Unfortunately with the environmental record of the present American administration, support for this kind of technology comes from other sources. Danke Deutschland.

  • @2020_Visi0n
    @2020_Visi0n 4 роки тому +232

    "Scientists say that the climate crisis will bring on more extreme weather in the future".... has anyone looked out the window?? We're already there

    • @cinderball1135
      @cinderball1135 4 роки тому +53

      @Crow Dog You mistake weather for climate. Climate change doesn't mean you won't still get nice weather from time to time - but it increases the probability of more extreme weather happening more often. Notice I didn't say it *causes* extreme weather - it *increases the probability.* Events that would typically have only happened once in a century are now happening nearly every year. We are breaking records for hottest and coldest days across the planet, because as the planet's atmosphere warms, the system has more energy to release in the form of extreme weather events, such as hurricanes and droughts.
      Fact is, you might be having a nice sunny day on the veranda, but that doesn't mean there ain't historic wildfires burning in California (there are) or that the Great Barrier Reef isn't bleaching to death (it is).

    • @2020_Visi0n
      @2020_Visi0n 4 роки тому +27

      @@cinderball1135 you're wasting your time. This one is either an intellectual child (poorly educated) or is subject to a personality disorder (narcissism, sociopathy), possibly both. Either way they appear to be incapable of critical thinking or empathy. It's these folks that are actually the source of most of our problems (including climate change). They're not evil, but they are dangerous.
      Don't attempt to educate them. We don't have the time or resources. We just need to go through them.

    • @cinderball1135
      @cinderball1135 4 роки тому +27

      @@2020_Visi0n I'm not planning to. When I write out an educative explanation like above, I'm doing it for the benefit of whomsoever else might be reading the thread, so they can see the holes in the faulty argument from the climate skeptic. I'm under no illusions of being able to change the mind of the person I'm talking to, considering how they'll put anecdotal personal observations and opinions ahead of rafts of scientific evidence. :)

    • @zoren7249
      @zoren7249 4 роки тому +13

      @Crow Dog Anecdotal evidence is a fallacy.

    • @2020_Visi0n
      @2020_Visi0n 4 роки тому +7

      @@cinderball1135 I understand. However most people with a functioning brain could see the holes in that argument. Generally, we waste _far_ too much energy engaging with these individuals. Its better spent elsewhere. They WANT your attention, be it praise or protest. Don't get distracted. That's the trick

  • @JonathanMartin884
    @JonathanMartin884 4 роки тому +25

    We need to move back to these small farms spread throughout communities and growing local produce. It will cut down on transportation costs and many other costs. We have to move away from agribusiness now. These huge conglomerates are destroying our world for a huge profit for a small group.

  • @priscillajimenez27
    @priscillajimenez27 4 роки тому +56

    There should be a federal grant to invest this into every farm.

    • @gr8bkset-524
      @gr8bkset-524 4 роки тому +1

      No need for grants. They're already getting paid twice.

    • @priscillajimenez27
      @priscillajimenez27 4 роки тому +4

      @@gr8bkset-524 well maybe an investment loan

    • @CHMichael
      @CHMichael 4 роки тому

      I don't think they came up with the investment themselves.

    • @TheBighatter
      @TheBighatter 3 роки тому

      "Every farm"...that only grows low light crops, harvested by hand, without any kind of tractor, on small acreage.

  • @kristofferwehrend3394
    @kristofferwehrend3394 4 роки тому +17

    Agrivoltaics sounds like a Power Ranger villain though.
    Still an awesome practice. Hoping also that Solar Panels will be much more available and affordable for the masses.

    • @zachdancy5828
      @zachdancy5828 4 роки тому +3

      AS WE SPEAK Solar Panels are VERY cheap to the masses!! The price has been sliced by 50% in 2.5 years!

    • @priscillajimenez27
      @priscillajimenez27 4 роки тому

      We need Captian Planet!

  • @astanoel6903
    @astanoel6903 4 роки тому +17

    So awesome and such an obvious solution frankly when you when you drive by fields of solar panels. Raise them higher and grow alfalfa for hay, basil, so many ideas. Convert parking lots into shaded lots so that the cars don't overheat and it's not just an asphalt jungle but renewable solar energy.

    • @EpwnaExeter
      @EpwnaExeter 4 роки тому +3

      At Michigan State University they turned a parking lot into a covered lot with solar panels. It keeps the students cars cooler on sunny days and provides clean energy to the university buildings.
      Edited to add: it also keeps a lot of snow off of the cars in the winter too.

    • @barriegordon1108
      @barriegordon1108 4 роки тому

      Your two examples are totally different. Covering parking lots is a great idea, because it gives shade to cars and provide benefits all round. Growing crops in the shade is a totally different story. It reduces yield and quality, and is an all round BAD idea. Fruiting crops need lots and LOTS of sun. The more the better. I cannot see how this "solution" will work. The farmer either farms with crops or electricity on the same patch of land. Otherwise crop yields will be dismal.

    • @EpwnaExeter
      @EpwnaExeter 4 роки тому +3

      @@barriegordon1108 watch the video. The farmers grow leafy greens in the shade of the solar panels because the leaves grow bigger in partial shade...ya know bigger leaves of spinach and lettuce are good.

    • @astanoel6903
      @astanoel6903 4 роки тому +3

      @@barriegordon1108 Some plants do well with some shade, rather than a full 12 hours of sun in the summer heat. It's not 100% shade under the canopy necessarily either. You've got 🌞 from east and west, and some overhead 🌞@ highnoon in the gap between Rows. In the mid-Atlantic area we have native pau pau fruit trees that like shade. Could be permaculture rather than annual crops? Lots of possibilities for the imagination still.

  • @graffic13
    @graffic13 4 роки тому +19

    This should be in every back yard in az & California
    My az. friends biggest complaint is they can't grow anything and high energy bills!

    • @acmefixer1
      @acmefixer1 4 роки тому

      Tell your AZ friend to get a solar PV system installed on his roof. A 5 kW system for less than $15 thousand.

    • @spencerwilton5831
      @spencerwilton5831 3 роки тому

      Acme Fixer $15k is still double the cost the same set up would be here in the U.K., and that's without any subsidy. I don't understand why solar remains so expensive in the US?!

  • @flippinflitz2773
    @flippinflitz2773 4 роки тому +90

    Imagine if every small farmer had subsidized solar panels on their prop if it is effective so they can get xxxtra income baby

    • @DAndyLord
      @DAndyLord 4 роки тому +8

      Better idea: Semi-portable solar arrays. Farmers can use them over top of fallow fields so those fields are still making money while fallowed. When it's time to plant that field, farmers can just move the array.

    • @RCSVirginia
      @RCSVirginia 4 роки тому +1

      Flippin Flitz
      I could not agree more, and it would be government money well spent.

    • @eugenes9751
      @eugenes9751 4 роки тому +1

      ​@@DAndyLord Unfortunately, it can't really be done because of how panels work. If the panels are wired in parallel, you'll have high voltage wires running on the ground. If they're wired in series, shading a single panel will kill the output of the entire row. Glass panels are far too fragile. You could get a giant roll of printed panels, but they would break in no time. One stray cow would easily destroy hundreds of thousands of dollars of panels.
      But even if you could somehow solve for all those problems, you still don't have storage. Without storage, you'd be forced to sell the power back to the grid when it's generated, and during the daytime, you'd looking at a return of about 2-3c/kwh. While the average cost to use that same kwh would be about 17c.
      Solar farming is a viable business, it just makes no sense to do it over precious farmland. You'd build it on some cheap land that's not farmable, preferably because it's too sunny and dry to farm there.

    • @bigbadjohn10
      @bigbadjohn10 4 роки тому +3

      There is no need to subsidise. Solar panels are really cheap now and are economic from the get go.

    • @DAndyLord
      @DAndyLord 4 роки тому +1

      @@eugenes9751 I'd suggested putting the arrays over fallow fields. That way the farmer is making money even when she's not planting there.
      The other problems do seem larger than I'd anticipated.

  • @TheNightwalker247
    @TheNightwalker247 4 роки тому +2

    What i found really interesting was what "white oak pastures" is doing grazing animals like sheep and broiler chickens under solar panels. Storing carbon in the ground through holistic management and lowering the cost of the solar farm operator.(no weed whacking or mowing)

  • @veggieboyultimate
    @veggieboyultimate 4 роки тому +6

    This is a method all farms should use.

  • @javierdrake1803
    @javierdrake1803 4 роки тому +2

    Even if you don’t believe in global warming, I have something to say to you; oil won’t last forever and the sooner we get off it, the better off we’ll be.

  • @kensmith5694
    @kensmith5694 4 роки тому +3

    I think the towers for the panels should be a bit taller. You want the shadows to move rapidly over the plants so they don't see too much temperature rise during the day. In hot places, plants actually shut off photosynthesis during the hottest part of the day to protect themselves. This is mostly to keep water in but other things are at work.
    I have found that some types of tomatoes don't mind a bit of shade. Most of what humans grow as crops are selected for full sun. The plant breeders need to get busy and make plants for shade.
    BTW: The pawpaw and some other members of the custard apple family are understory adapted and taste a lot like banana. Because of other news, it is looking like bananas may be harder to get in the future. pawpaws don't ship well. This is another place for the plant breeder perhaps but also a great thing for "market garden" style production. Seasonal fruit to a city 50 miles away can bring a good price.

  • @DougGrinbergs
    @DougGrinbergs 3 роки тому

    Stopped by Jack's just yesterday. Jazzed about progress, momentum. Very proud of Byron and his dedication, tenacity.

  • @claraknudsen5714
    @claraknudsen5714 4 роки тому +4

    Love it! Also the crops evaporates water which lowers the temperature locally, so it's also good for the solar panels since they work better in lower temperatures. Win win!

  • @chuckkottke
    @chuckkottke 4 роки тому +1

    A cool idea takes root! An old plant physiology Prof who did some of the early work in understanding photosynthesis told me that photosynthesis actually shuts down during the most intense sun light hours of the day, so growing gardens with partial shade makes sense from a maximum utilization perspective, plus closer to the places of power usage right by the cities, the ideal location and the right mixing of fields. From shade grown coffee to shade grown beans!

  • @paulbooth2608
    @paulbooth2608 2 роки тому

    Thank God for sub titles.... No Sound Nothing...... Silence But simple to follow, good film crew.

  • @michellem4287
    @michellem4287 4 роки тому

    The most advanced science is in Agro-Tech...Thank you FARMERS...WE LOVE YOU!!

  • @loritouma5899
    @loritouma5899 4 роки тому +7

    Very impressive technology and climate change has much to do with news ways of farming. Even my garden did not grow this well at all this year. Excellent ideas

  • @treelife365
    @treelife365 4 роки тому +4

    This is such a simple, yet amazing idea! I wonder how many other jurisdictions would allow farmers to partake in agrivoltaics by proactively changing bylaws, etc.
    It seems like if the solar panels are spaced far enough apart, it almost might not affect the crops at all!

  • @laMoria
    @laMoria 4 роки тому +6

    What if you planted trees also? They store water in the ground next to them and provide shade.

    • @DrCoaz
      @DrCoaz 4 роки тому +8

      Hi! I currently work at Biosphere 2 at the AV gardens. While you don’t see any trees under these panels we have sister sites across Tucson where the solar panels are angled and at their highest point reach about 20 feet in the air. Under these panels we have planted fruit trees which don’t like the Arizonan heat but are doing fine so far! :)

    • @trygveevensen171
      @trygveevensen171 4 роки тому

      The trees do also use a lot of water though, but it's a interesting idea

  • @thinktoomuchb4028
    @thinktoomuchb4028 4 роки тому +1

    I understand the water plants emit through transpiration helps keep the solar panels cooler and performing more efficiently.

  • @timogronroos4642
    @timogronroos4642 4 роки тому +1

    In Europe, we use more huge windmills in farms. They take very little room and can yield power 3MW or more per windmill. I believe the great thing here is the shadow effect. You could also have sheeps with solar-PV’s

  • @moonettewolfsong9960
    @moonettewolfsong9960 4 роки тому +3

    Great to see how things are coming along. It’ll be interesting to see how they tackle the whole ‘how to sow and harvest crops under solar panels’ issue for crops that use massive machines but then again some crops might suit this set up more than others given they don’t seem to be focusing on grain crops.

  • @dhannykusnadi2103
    @dhannykusnadi2103 3 роки тому

    People need to watch and start doing this!

  • @seanc1898
    @seanc1898 4 роки тому +1

    Just awesome. This could literally help change the world. Good luck! 🙏

  • @chrishartford9012
    @chrishartford9012 3 роки тому

    One of the other things that this does is keep the solar panels cool helping them to work more efficiently 🤠🌵

  • @ronaldbarrett3112
    @ronaldbarrett3112 Рік тому

    This appears to be a really good idea for the USA rural areas to utilize. Thanks of this information

  • @rolyrod69
    @rolyrod69 4 роки тому

    Props to this guy! Good work! I love that he’s also trying to give back to the community!

    • @malcolmrose3361
      @malcolmrose3361 4 роки тому

      I think it's actually sell back to the local community - they pay him for the energy he generates...but I agree with your sentiment.

  • @matthewjay660
    @matthewjay660 4 роки тому +4

    My God! They can feed us AND give us clean energy. 🤔 Farmers fight! 💪🏻🥬⚡️☀️

  • @kevinJmadsen
    @kevinJmadsen 4 роки тому +1

    Those panels are not even connected. The panel wires are still coiled and separate under each panel 3:55

  • @jaibusby673
    @jaibusby673 4 роки тому +1

    Yeah Very smart idea shading the plants from the stress of midday heat, great design can't wait till see plants in full production.

  • @TerreHauteRemoteGoat
    @TerreHauteRemoteGoat 4 роки тому

    Great video. Kudos to the fellow that got the stupid code changed.
    A couple of minor criticisms:
    1) The idea that plants need rain/irrigation more than once a week is oversimplified. It depends on the growth stages of the plant, the soil type, the depth of the previous rain event, etc.
    2) You don't mention energy storage. For instance, pumped hydro would be a great solution, if only there were some hills somewhere in Colorado. Oh well.

  • @artboymoy
    @artboymoy 3 роки тому

    Good luck! I hope it takes off and creates a whole new sustainable industry!

  • @willm5814
    @willm5814 4 роки тому +1

    So impressed that Kominek changed to local codes to allow this - awesome 😎

  • @1drummer172
    @1drummer172 4 роки тому

    Thank you!

  • @briantyson7744
    @briantyson7744 4 роки тому +1

    I am freaking out with love right now!!!

  • @yuciehayashi266
    @yuciehayashi266 4 роки тому

    News like this bring me new hope in life..

  • @Myriako
    @Myriako Рік тому

    Thank you for this video! 😀💐

  • @o.h.w.6638
    @o.h.w.6638 4 роки тому +1

    Thanks algorithms I liked this one!

  • @Travelling_with_my_dog
    @Travelling_with_my_dog 4 роки тому

    awesome! it's so nice to see something hopeful every once in awhile!

  • @JJs_playground
    @JJs_playground 3 роки тому

    Great news. And we need to support farmers (all over the world), they are *literally* the life line of our civilization.

  • @TBFSJjunior
    @TBFSJjunior 4 роки тому +2

    Also to put this into perspective:
    With one hectare of land you can grow enough plants to create enough bio fuel to drive 75k km a year.
    Put solar on the same land and use an EV and you can drive 10 million km.

  • @parajacks4
    @parajacks4 4 роки тому +2

    2:30 bigger leaf this year makes for more compost next year, so even more soil moisture.

  • @15clank
    @15clank 4 роки тому +16

    Socialize energy, give every farmer solar and other means of renewable energy . Better environment, better farming, better economy, better life for all. Capitalism keeps prosperity for the few, socialism gives it to the many.

    • @youstolethecookie
      @youstolethecookie 4 роки тому +3

      Well said.

    • @chinookvalley
      @chinookvalley 4 роки тому +1

      You will NEVER get the republikans to buy into the idea of Socialism. They think it's the devil's work. Ignorance is very blissful here in southern Colorado.

    • @15clank
      @15clank 4 роки тому

      @@chinookvalley we don't need the republicans we need the people. We need the majority.

    • @iskdude9922
      @iskdude9922 3 роки тому

      @@chinookvalley no you got a low iq. We dont have true capitalism. Capitalism brings prosperity for all who want it.

  • @jaymercha3859
    @jaymercha3859 4 роки тому

    oH my GOD! This could really be a game changer. What a great IDEA. TWO products from the same land. I LOVE IT!

  • @DougGrinbergs
    @DougGrinbergs 3 роки тому

    2:19 dramatic leaf size difference!

  • @captainhickey2608
    @captainhickey2608 4 роки тому

    I so wanted to like this more than once.

    • @kensmith5694
      @kensmith5694 4 роки тому

      It appears youtube counts your commenting as an interaction and favors the video based on that.

  • @colleenforrest7936
    @colleenforrest7936 4 роки тому

    Cool! Ice been talking about doing something under solar panels for years to use that space and increase the square foot productivity, but didn't have the resources to look into it much further. Looks like you have a good solution there!

  • @aweslayne
    @aweslayne 4 роки тому

    Now that’s innovation!

  • @biobitsolar
    @biobitsolar 3 роки тому

    muy bien por su estudio

  • @helsiclife
    @helsiclife 4 роки тому

    Very interesting concept

  • @yamilcoloma6677
    @yamilcoloma6677 4 роки тому +2

    But.... Why solar panels? I mean it is great to be producing electricity but wouldn't it be cheaper just to put some shaders?

    • @jonhaug7134
      @jonhaug7134 4 роки тому +4

      I think it has something to do with the combination of them both. I think it is more profitable to have a solar panal and plants rather than only focusing in the plants, by having Just a plate covering the farm

    • @cinderball1135
      @cinderball1135 4 роки тому +3

      The solar panels yield electricity he can sell for income, to supplement his business.

    • @yamilcoloma6677
      @yamilcoloma6677 4 роки тому

      @@cinderball1135 yes of course but if the farmers are struggling money wise they don't have the cash to make that initial investment.... That's why I was wondering why not just shaders

    • @bluesky-bp1bp
      @bluesky-bp1bp 4 роки тому

      Climate change can reduce the amount of available water in his area. The solar panels help stop that from happening through renewable energy

    • @frozty3450
      @frozty3450 4 роки тому +1

      They can make profit from the solar panels by selling some of the energy to the grid

  • @gig2734
    @gig2734 4 роки тому +1

    Can't get greener then that 😊

  • @olivierbraun941
    @olivierbraun941 4 роки тому +3

    just wonder if using the panels surface also to collect rain over a system of gutters could also help to keep a bit more of the short abundant rainfalls in summer (dont knwo the climate of that region?) to irrigate the following days ? I mean it does not need to be all watertight and perfect, but the other way round I could imagine the rain pouring down just over the edge of the panel very locally is not ideal for the crops either ?

    • @3gunslingers
      @3gunslingers 4 роки тому

      Great idea!

    • @mikeguitar9769
      @mikeguitar9769 4 роки тому +1

      Yes exactly. Don’t forget dew condensation. Plants or weeds will preferentially grow along the drip-line, or wherever the irrigation is.

  • @mattmadn
    @mattmadn 4 роки тому

    This is such promising news!

  • @mcortes2733
    @mcortes2733 4 роки тому

    I'm so down for this!

  • @Thomas-Bradley
    @Thomas-Bradley 4 роки тому +3

    These sort of projects should receive more support from the government through fundings!

  • @jordansage9655
    @jordansage9655 4 роки тому

    3:16 Amazing

  • @jaapfolmer7791
    @jaapfolmer7791 2 роки тому

    I'd love to see an update

  • @ronaldgarrison8478
    @ronaldgarrison8478 2 роки тому

    It turns out that combining agriculture and solar panels is more complex than it first looks, but the resulting benefits are also more than you might have thought.

    • @mikeaskme3530
      @mikeaskme3530 2 роки тому

      @Ronals Garrison, I agree, but with most problems we need complex solutions.

  • @wjlambert
    @wjlambert 4 роки тому

    Probably can't do traditional machine harvesting under PV solar.
    But manual harvesting is probably a great deal less taxing in the shade.
    Good on you, mate

  • @MrMoss786
    @MrMoss786 4 роки тому

    Excellent

  • @rikuuuuamx1783
    @rikuuuuamx1783 4 роки тому +1

    I remember watching NHK when the japanese where the first to have done this type of agriculture

  • @namelesscontent4371
    @namelesscontent4371 4 роки тому

    Phenomenal job!

  • @yassineabdoulayfadoul6449
    @yassineabdoulayfadoul6449 2 роки тому

    هناكر او جبلونات بطاقة الشمسية بدل النيلون والزنك بهذا نوفر الطاقة الكافية لتقشيل المنشات وتركيبات حسب الحاجة مثل لو زراعة نستخدم اتجهات العكسية لشمس لكي لايدخل الحرارة العالية اماالباقي نستخدم لتبريد وزيادة الطاقة

  • @johnr.seydel3821
    @johnr.seydel3821 4 роки тому

    Great story! Keep up the coverage of these stories

  • @Tetracarbon
    @Tetracarbon 4 роки тому

    Does the array allow space for a tractor? What are the hazards of mixing PV cells and Argo chemicals? These are serious design issues, as I note they didn’t even have an ATV under the panels let alone a John Deere.

  • @truefuschniken
    @truefuschniken 4 роки тому +1

    LOVEEE this!!!! 🤩

  • @selwynr
    @selwynr 4 роки тому

    Great!

  • @tonysuper3074
    @tonysuper3074 4 роки тому

    build this above roads too

  • @radjedi2010
    @radjedi2010 3 роки тому

    If the temperatures get too hot, I wonder if they could hook up some fans under the panels and use the free energy to cool down the plants.

    • @kensmith5694
      @kensmith5694 3 роки тому

      Fans don't really cool much. They make us feel cooler because we are a 98.6F and the air is not that hot. A plant doesn't heat its self up like we do.

  • @rossstotz775
    @rossstotz775 4 роки тому

    The panels would also be a perfect rain catch system. Put some gutters at the bottom of each row, run them to rain barrel stacks that are used to water the crops below. The spacing between panel rows would still be plenty to allow rain to fall to the ground but you could also bank water for the dry times and save resources. Yeah, there's laws regarding the catching of rain water and those need to be dealt with but it seems workable.

  • @sanathholla3188
    @sanathholla3188 4 роки тому

    This is a very innovative idea!

  • @reyalsllort2826
    @reyalsllort2826 4 роки тому

    You grow fruit trees above your leafy greens simple. Keep solar panels for building roofing.

  • @mcchuff
    @mcchuff 4 роки тому +1

    I like it but what are the resultant crop yields?
    I understand that there is research that it results in larger leaves and reduced water demands but if the crop yields significantly drop, it basically boils down to replacing farms with solar panels.
    This is great for green energy but not so great for food security.

    • @barriegordon1108
      @barriegordon1108 4 роки тому

      Yes! My thoughts exactly. This is a very bad idea.

    • @hardware64
      @hardware64 3 роки тому

      You can have 1 unit of solar, 1 unit of crops, or 1 unit of solar and 0.5 units of crops. I'd take the third option. Plus it's just a matter of changing crop types to some that thrive on those conditions.

  • @Bobucles
    @Bobucles 3 роки тому

    There is a type of solar panel which pulls moisture out of air. The SOURCE hydropanel can potentially create water for agriculture, though I suspect it would be far too expensive for such a setting.

  • @601salsa
    @601salsa 3 роки тому

    Awesome, every farmer should have this as at least a possibility. Its smart, helps food production, makes clean renewable energy and provides a decent income for the farmer... heck with sheep, goats and pigs you could rear them under shade as well..... I cant see a downside.

  • @ram64man
    @ram64man 4 роки тому

    My only worry is the clearance seems low for crops that may use a small tractor/buggy for harvesting crops like tomatoes etc or future Currently experimental) robotics to do the weeding that comply with future pesticides rules

  • @tube2211ification
    @tube2211ification 4 роки тому

    What a great idea governments need to promote this more!

  • @tomkelly8827
    @tomkelly8827 4 роки тому

    This is pretty cool, thanks for sharing!
    I live off grid in Canada. I have a woodshed roof that I shingled solar panels on top. All the rainwater from the roof is what I water my garden with. There is a lot of water available all the time now! Power too! and since I bought used panels, they cost less then the tin for the roof would have! Big old lead acid batteries power my life day and night with that array. It is very very cost effective to save the environment it turns out!

  • @davidnicholson5241
    @davidnicholson5241 4 роки тому

    Brilliant well done 👍

  • @CHMichael
    @CHMichael 4 роки тому +1

    I like the concept but your previous business plan of growing grass scared me.

  • @dsgant1616
    @dsgant1616 4 роки тому +1

    I'd like to know how they plan on harvesting underneath the solar panels. Having physical structures built in and above your plants prevents traditional harvesting machines so does this technique require hand-harvesting?
    I think this is an amazing step in the right direction, I am just curious what methods have been thought up in order to apply this on a large scale.

    • @zachdancy5828
      @zachdancy5828 4 роки тому +1

      Remember, Immigrants do Most of the Picking, so even by hand, they have A lot more vegetables to sell with shade to offset costs for now. Great looking ahead!! Maybe a size machine could become standard, based on frame sizes for panels!

    • @DrCoaz
      @DrCoaz 4 роки тому +2

      Hi! I currently work at Biosphere 2 doing AV research with Greg and my peers. We are so glad that AV is progressing as fast as it is but we still have so many questions. AV research in Tucson until recently has been focused on smaller arrays in neighborhoods which would benefit from increased food/energy/water security. Like you we are beginning to question how this can be implemented at a large scale. We know with handpicked crops the shade provided by the panels creates a more humane work environment, especially in AZ. In addition, solar panel arrays can be dynamic and shaped to address some logistical issues. To solve the issue you raise and other problems we need more funding, partners, and farms willing to try AV and work through their design/implementation.

    • @dsgant1616
      @dsgant1616 4 роки тому +1

      @@DrCoaz Hey Caleb! Thank you for taking the time to reply to me. I want to commend you and your colleagues for dedicating your resources to furthering sustainable advancements in food.
      I suppose it is important to point out that AV doesn't have to completely replace traditional farming in order to be successful. For smaller family owned farms- especially located in smaller towns this seems like the ideal application.
      Unfortunately due to many of these smaller farms being forced to sell to the large industrial farming companies, there are fewer and fewer farms around to make use of this technology.
      But on the other hand, hopefully this and other new approaches can help save many of these smaller farms and give them a tool to supplement income and resist selling off. I do believe that the partnerships between local government and or energy suppliers and the farms who use this AV tech will be the recipe for success for all parties involved.
      If I had the connections or finances to help in some way I would love to. But alas you do have my support and belief!
      Best luck with everything

  • @SHUBHAMSHARMA-uh7yp
    @SHUBHAMSHARMA-uh7yp 4 роки тому +4

    Most of the farmers are poor they can't afford expensive Solar system like this..!!!
    Anyway Nice idea...

    • @court2379
      @court2379 4 роки тому +5

      I disagree, many farmers are quite wealthy, but thier money is tied up in land and equipment. So at any time they may be doing very well, or barely scraping by depending on the success of their crops, and market prices. It is a cash flow problem, not a net worth problem.

    • @SHUBHAMSHARMA-uh7yp
      @SHUBHAMSHARMA-uh7yp 4 роки тому

      @@court2379 Where are you from??

    • @court2379
      @court2379 4 роки тому +4

      @@SHUBHAMSHARMA-uh7yp Good point. The US. Most the world over they would be very poor. Even here they don't usually have lots of spending money. Everything is invested in the farm and its equipment, and lots of debt until late in life. Families over a generation or two can do well. It is all high risk though. A couple bad years can bankrupt them.

  • @mrajdj09
    @mrajdj09 4 роки тому

    Bi facial pv module helps more

  • @peoplearepeople4998
    @peoplearepeople4998 4 роки тому

    I want more nature content

  • @leesmith9299
    @leesmith9299 4 роки тому +1

    3:13 but 10 is the max! Having an option of 11 just makes 10 lower!

  • @jamest.5001
    @jamest.5001 4 роки тому

    Doing stuff like this and roofs with good sun, putting solar farms over the highway is a good next step, it would somewhat shelter the road, in some areas it may need something to keep the snow off, and dust in desert areas, a similar structure over the highway in areas that need more power, we can stop burning coal and other fisdil fuels, awesome video, I'd like to see more!

  • @Frisbeeninja2
    @Frisbeeninja2 3 роки тому

    Check out Source Hydropanels, you could do agrivoltaics with them to and make water!

  • @jeffharmed1616
    @jeffharmed1616 4 роки тому

    Thanks for showing your agrivoltaic setup. Current payback for PV on rooftops is 7 to 10 years which is not an attractive investment but maybe agrivoltaics can bring it down to 3 to 4 years by increasing crop yields and improving PV efficiency due to the cooling effect of the plants beneath. Some details along those lines from you would be much appreciated.

  • @dsaliberti
    @dsaliberti 4 роки тому

    Beautiful ✨