Solar + Farming: OSU / Oregon Clean Power Co-op project finalist for national award!
Dan Orzech
Can solar panels and crops coexist in the same field? According to research from Solar Harvest, a pioneering public-private partnership between the Oregon Clean Power Cooperative and Oregon State University’s College of Agricultural Sciences, the answer is a resounding yes.
So we’re proud to announce that Solar Harvest, a unique community solar project and research facility located at the OSU Extension Center just south of Wilsonville, is a finalist for the North American Agrivoltaics Solar Farm of the Year award, which will be presented on July 8th at American Farmland Trust’s 2024 Solar Farm Summit in Chicago.
Scientists from Oregon State University’s College of Agricultural Sciences, led by Prof. Chad Higgins, are using the project to study how agricultural crops and solar farms on the same piece of land can benefit each other. In an era of increasing climate change-driven droughts, Prof. Higgins’ research has shown that crops can be grown in solar farms with significantly less irrigation, and last summer Solar Harvest produced bumper crops of melons, tomatoes and other crops – without watering.
Solar Harvest is also supplying clean solar electricity to households and organizations throughout Portland General Electric’s territory, including a synagogue, several churches, OSU’s Extension Center, and dozens of homes. Oregon Clean Power Co-op built and owns the project, which was financed by community investors and a grant from Portland General Electric’s Renewable Development Fund.
General Manager
Oregon Clean Power Cooperative
(610) 650-7755 (c)
(541) 230-1259 (o)
d...@oregoncleanpower.coop
