Entries by A. J. Puckett

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Grazing Sheep on Solar Sites in New York State: Opportunities and Challenges

This paper examines the current scope of sheep grazing in New York State and the benefits, opportunities, challenges, and barriers to scaling up the sheep industry to graze ground-mounted photovoltaic arrays for vegetation management. The study shows that there are similarities between USSE facilities and those of Distributed Solar Energy’s benefits, opportunities and challenges but that they are modified due to the larger scale of operations of the projects.

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Exploring Farming and Solar Synergies

This report explores the synergies between farming and solar photovoltaics with the premises that agricultural production on farmland should be maintained and farm profitability and soil health should be improved. The report states that siting solar facilities in Maryland is a major stumbling block to the progress of in-state solar energy generation and finding common ground and possible solutions to issues allows the state to proceed forward in developing agrisolar operations.

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Application of Photovoltaic Systems for Agriculture: A Study on the Relationship between Power Generation and Farming for the Improvement of Photovoltaic Applications in Agriculture

This articles includes research findings of a study conducted on grapes that were cultivated on land that was divided into six sections: three with photovoltaic panels and three without. The study did not find a difference in grape growth but did find a slight slowing of grape growth under the solar panels. The sugar content was slightly higher in the experiment group. 

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Agrivoltaic System Impacts on Microclimate and Yield of Different Crops Within an Organic Crop Rotation in a Temperate Climate

The article concerns changes in microclimatic conditions in an agrisolar system within an organic crop rotation. Crops include celeriac, winter wheat, potato, and grass-clover cultivated both underneath solar PV panels system and on an adjacent reference site without solar panels. Alteration in microclimatic conditions and crop production under solar PV was confirmed including reduced photosynthetic active radiation, soil temperature, soil moisture, and air temperatures.