Apr 24, 2026 - Two Harvests. One Field. California`s Smarter Solar: Agrivoltaics
Agrivoltaics doesn`t ask farmers to choose between growing food and generating power — it does both from the same acre. What started as university research in the Central Valley is now attracting serious investment and county-level approvals across California. This video breaks down why crops grow better under panels, how transpiration cools the solar array and boosts its output, and why this model avoids the land-clearing and habitat disruption that standard solar farms can cause. UC Merced`s Smart Farm has been testing tomatoes, peppers, kale, and melons under panels in real Central Valley heat — the yield and uniformity results changed how researchers think about dual-use land.
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