This publication presents and discusses concepts that are fundamental to understanding soil, water, and plant relationships and the soil water balance.

This report discusses the goal of agrisolar systems, which would generate electricity from raised solar panels and allow crop cultivation under the solar panels, and their development. Details of the report include the effect of raised solar panels and their effect on shading, which affects factors of the crops development. This information can be used to potentially optimize the design of agrisolar operations to most effectively benefit the crops included in the agrisolar operation.

This study examines a variety of percentages of the total area covered with shade produced by photovoltaic modules on rooftop lettuce crops. The results of the study suggest that in areas of high radiation and temperature(s), it is possible to use the same area on rooftops to produce photovoltaic energy and effectively cultivate plant species that demand little sunlight, such as lettuce. These conclusions mean that rooftop agrisolar is effective when the strategies in this study are taken into consideration.

This paper addresses the environmental effects of solar panels on an unirrigated pasture that often experiences water stress.

This publication looks at the pathways and drivers that move nutrients into, out of, and within pasture systems. It attempts to provide a clear, holistic understanding of how nutrients cycle through pastures and what the producer can do to enhance the processes to create productive, regenerative, and resilient farm and ranch systems.

Implications for vegetation growth when large opaque objects such as solar collectors are placed between the sun and ground-level vegetation across large portions of earth surface have received little attention to date. The present study seeks to address this void, advancing the state of knowledge of how constructed PV arrays affect ground-level environments, and to what degree plant cover, having acceptable characteristics within engineering constraints, can be re-established and thrive.

Montana Renewable Energy Association (MREA) gives steps, tips, and tricks to install solar at your home, businesses, farm or ranch, or school to save money on energy and increase your energy independence. Installing solar at your home, businesses, farm or ranch, or school will save you money on your energy bills and increase your energy independence. (1) Gather information: Do some research online and talk to the Montana Energy Office at the Dept. of Environmental Quality and a renewable energy advocate like the Montana Renewable Energy Association (MREA). A few questions to consider: Do you have a location on your property in mind already? Roof? Ground? Does the location get sun? Do you want to stay connected to the grid, or go off-grid? What is your budget for the project? (2) Contact local solar installers: Request bids from several installers to find the right fit and price for you. Ask for an in-person site visit to assess structural issues, electrical connections, and shading. Review historical energy usage to size the system properly. Discuss your energy goals. Do you want to cover all of your energy use or just some? (3) Review costs and financing: Does the cost meet your budget? Will you save as much as you were hoping on your energy bills? What tax credits are available to you? What loan or financing options are available? (4) Sign a contract: Once you’ve made your decision to move forward, contact your installer and sign a contract. Then, work can begin! (5) Installation: The timeline will depend on things like weather and the installer’s schedule, and inspection appointments. For net metering customers, expect additional time for the utility to install your net meter. (6) Start producing energy: Congratulations! Every kWh you produce is saving you money and increasing your energy independence.

This report compares the economics of a solar rooftop mandate for new detached residential homes with a conventional home with gas heating and central air-conditioning. The home with rooftop solar is assumed to be an all-electric, net-zero-energy home that would generate as much solar electricity on its rooftop each year as it uses. The gas-heated home would be built to the same standard in all respects other than the gas space and water heating and gas cooking are replaced by efficient electric devices in the net-zero-energy home. The context is Montgomery County’s 2017 ambitious climate emergency resolution and a more recent statement by County Executive Marc Elrich about the possibility of a rooftop solar mandate. The County’s goal is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 80% by 2027 and achieve 100% elimination of emissions by 2035

Modifications to the surface albedo through the deployment of cool roofs and pavements (reflective materials) and photovoltaic arrays (low reflection) have the potential to change radiative forcing, surface temperatures, and regional weather patterns. In this work we investigate the regional climate and radiative effects of modifying surface albedo to mimic massive deployment of cool surfaces (roofs and pavements) and, separately, photovoltaic arrays across the United States. We use a fully coupled regional climate model, the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model, to investigate feedbacks between surface albedo changes, surface temperature, precipitation and average cloud cover.

The potential resource base for PV in the United States is enormous; however, there are a number of challenges related to realizing this potential including relatively high cost, intermittent output, and potentially significant land use. The costs of PV have been declining significantly during the past couple of decades, and there are strong prospects for further declines in cost during the next decade. The issue of intermittency can be addressed through a number of potential means, and will likely become increasingly important as market penetration increases beyond a few percent of electricity consumption. The issue of land use is often cited as an important issue for renewable energy technologies. Determining the land requirements of solar PV at high penetration helps evaluate its potential to reduce both the carbon emissions and the “Ecological Footprint” associated with electricity generation and use.