Growing Symbiosis in Competition Between Food, Clean Energy

June 15, 2022--Written by Paul Wiseman for Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--In this series about agriculture and clean energy, we have examined how biofuel crops are competing against food for a fairly fixed amount of arable land. But the struggle is not just about biology. Wind and solar installations also are called "farms," as they need large swaths of surface area as well.

The Bible, in Matthew 4:45, points out that the sun "rises on the evil and the good" alike. It also shines on solar collectors and alfalfa alike, and wind applies itself similarly. Now a growing number of green energy companies are experimenting with ways to grow food and energy on the same plot. Many are employing government grants to help defray costs.

The concept is known as agrivoltaics. It can include various mixes of wind or solar with either farm or ranch acreage.