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- H42K-05: Harnessing agrisolar PV to address water scarcity in irrigated regions
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NOLA CC
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Anthony Kendall, Michigan State University (First Author, Presenting Author)
Jacob Stid, Michigan State University
James Bingaman, Michigan State University
Annick Anctil, Michigan State University
Sam Zipper, University of Kansas
Hanna Szydlowski, University of Kansas
Solar photovoltaics (PV) are the most rapidly-growing source of energy worldwide, and are often installed in agricultural lands. PV arrays convert a large portion of solar energy into electricity and heat, they tend to reduce the amount of water that is evaporated or transpired. Because of this, more water becomes available for groundwater and stream flow. Despite this logic, we do not yet understand how PV arrays affect the water cycle, and how specific designs may increase or decrease groundwater recharge. Here we present a pair of studies, one in California’s Central Valley and the other in Southwest Kansas, which examine the effects of solar PV within agricultural areas on water resources. We compare the findings from those studies to early work in wetter climates, emphasizing how solar PV design can be tailored to local conditions. We also discuss how solar PV installed in agricultural lands affect not just water resources, but food production, energy generation, and farm economics as well.
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