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https://coloradosun.com/2024/10/02/agrivoltaics-denver-botanic-gardens-chatfield-solar-power-vegetables/>
"Just south of the Denver Botanic Gardens at Chatfield, past the actual-farm
that includes a Halloween corn maze and a soulful pumpkin patch, there’s a new
solar farm taking root.
The high-tech panels on the 1.2-megawatt solar farm, which rotate with the sun
or against looming hail, are set a jarring 8 feet in the air.
That’s because the solar farm is itself an actual farm, needing to fit tractors
under the panels, with plans to host production of 30,000 pounds of garden
vegetables next year in one of Colorado’s biggest experiments in
“agrivoltaics.”
Denver taxpayers spent nearly $4.7 million from the city’s climate change sales
tax fund to build the solar farm and the access roads underneath. Electricity
generated by the solar panels goes to Xcel Energy, which will credit the
monthly bills of about 150 Denver Public Schools families who sign up for
income-qualified discounts. The vegetables — from basil to zucchini — will be
distributed free at Denver community centers if next year’s growing season is
successful.
The solar farm is the 12th such site funded so far by Denver’s climate change
sales tax. Other solar farms are serving as parking lot canopies at Denver
Public Schools, for example. Denver Botanic Gardens’ push into the burgeoning
field of agrivoltaics drew opening-day attention from Gov. Jared Polis and
Mayor Mike Johnston, who squinted into late-September sun and applauded the
dual projects.
Polis cited “proven technology that can enhance production, enhance soil
health, reduce water utilization, and, of course, produce low-cost renewable
energy to power our homes. These and many other exciting opportunities really
show the power of agrivoltaics to support Colorado communities.”
A small grant from the state Department of Local Affairs helped fund
development of the solar and soil farm."
Via Kenny Chaffin.
Share and enjoy,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
