Growing crops at solar farms can boost panel performance, longevity

"There is potential for agrivoltaic systems -- where agriculture and solar panels coexist -- to provide increased passive cooling through taller panel heights, more reflective ground cover and higher evapotranspiration rates compared to traditional solar farms," said senior author Max Zhang, professor in the Sibley School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, "We can generate renewable electricity and conserve farmland through agrivoltaic systems."