Solar panels on farms generate electricity while providing shade for plants

(OCTOBER 3, 2024) Our Table Cooperative is a farm in Sherwood. It has a special project called the Lettuce Shine Solar Project. ("Lettuce" is a vegetable, but the word also sounds like "Let us".)

The project uses solar panels in two ways. The solar panels generate electricity. They also provide shade for plants.

The farm grows many types of fruits and vegetables, but it's becoming harder to grow crops like lettuce because of hotter summers. The solar panels can help by giving shade to heat-sensitive plants. Lettuce is one example. The solar panels can also make enough electricity to power the farm’s store and freezers.

This method of using both farming and solar energy is called "agrivoltaics." It’s still new, but people are trying it in different places. The solar panels can move to give more shade or produce more energy, depending on the farm’s needs. The farm hopes that this project will help them grow better crops and reduce their use of fossil fuels. 

Narendra Varma is the farm's director. He believes this is an important step to protect against climate change and make farming more sustainable. “A lot of times people are very opposed to seeing large solar farms, and I understand why. Sometimes they can be an eyesore,” he says. “But I think it’s important for people to kind of look at these things and go like, ‘This is the future. This is beautiful. I want to see more of this in my community because it makes me resilient.’”