Agrivoltaics/Dual Use Solar Fundamentals & Best Practices

November 14-15, 2023 | Online :: Central Time

1123-agrivoltaics

“This is the most comprehensive Agrivoltaics course on the market. I highly recommend to anyone working in the renewable energy space that is trying to get up to speed on agrivoltaic project development and market trends.” Sr. Development Associate, NYSERDA

The widespread adoption and development of solar projects across a nearly full range of landscapes, topographies and geographies has triggered multiple “dual use” innovations. Among the most promising of these is agrivoltaics: the co-location of solar with natural resource practices broadly characterized as agriculture. This course delves into:

• Combining crops, pollination, grazing and more with solar arrays to amplify the potential of solar projects
• Maximizing the compatibility, sustainability and profitability of agrivoltaics
• Innovative concepts of co-locating solar installations with agricultural practices, unlocking economical and practical benefits in diverse landscapes

Join us to maximize the dual-use outcomes of solar energy and natural resource practices in this dynamic and forward-thinking course.

Learning Outcomes

Attendees will gain practical skills and insights on how to:

• Review the research, pilot projects and best practices that best inform solar project developers considering agrivoltaic projects
• Identify the ag practices that can be co-located with solar project development, as well as their potential outcomes
• Assess what modifications to conventional project development practices and component selection are necessary to accommodate ag elements
• Estimate cost vs benefits (LCOE) of co-locating agricultural practices with solar projects
• Analyze supplemental project revenue streams associated with ag elements
• Examine case studies of agrivoltaics projects from the perspective of project sponsors, developers and EPCs

Tuesday, November 14, 2023 : Central Time

9:00 – 9:20 a.m. :: Overview and Instructions

9:20 – 10:30 a.m. :: Agrivoltaics 101

• Crop production
• Grazing
• Habitat (pollinator habitat, apiaries & native vegetation)
• Greenhouse

The General Concepts for Dual Use (Co-Location) of Ag and Solar

• Ag with Solar (primary land use)
• Solar on Ag (primary land use)

Austin Kinzer, Agrivoltaics Senior Technical Specialist, American Farmland Trust

10:30 – 10:45 a.m. :: Morning Break

10:45 – 11:45 a.m. :: Value Proposition of Agrivoltaics

• Considerations for utility scale solar development (accommodating agriculture vs maintaining affordable electricity prices)
• Project developer’s business objective (community buy-in, maintaining the right to develop solar on farmland)
• Community/regional involvement for preservation of farmland and supporting local/regional farm economics
• Design considerations
• Types of agriculture that may be accommodated (within panel area vs project perimeter)
• Benefit to adjoining Ag (or other) operations
• Habitat restoration, soil conservation, water retention
• Satisfy ESG objective of off-taker
• Arnprior Solar case study

Kevin Campbell, Director – Development, EDF Renewables

Josh Bennett, Project Developer, EDF Renewables

11:45 a.m. – 12:45 p.m. :: Lessons from the Leading Edge – American Agrivoltaics Design and Development

• Development constraints
  • Balancing municipal permitting requirements with AgPV needs
  • O&M considerations and conflicts
  • Local and/or State (dual use) co-locations restrictions
• Site considerations and modifications
  • Water consumption and management
  • Erosion control
  • Access and security
  • Vegetation management
• Selection of (modified?) key components
  • Modules
  • Mounting and racking systems
  • Design considerations and policy pressures
• Conflict(s) and complementarities with Ag operations
  • Benefits to farmers and crops
  • Benefits to the solar production
  • Changing the landscape, but not the land use

Lucy Bullock-Sieger, Vice President of Strategy, Lightstar Renewables

12:45 – 1:30 p.m. :: Break for Lunch

1:30 – 2:00 p.m. :: Power with Purpose: How Renewable Energy Procurement Can Drive Social and Environmental Benefits

• Evolving corporate procurement beyond traditional price considerations
• How RFPs can be designed to incorporate environmental and social outcomes such as dual use and robust community benefits
• How proposals can be filtered and scored to select for projects with desired attributes
• How the toolkit designed by TNC and Rivian can be modified for multiple uses, including use by utility and governmental organizations, as well as with the intention of driving dual use and agrivoltaics development
• How intentional and purpose-driven renewable energy procurement can reduce permitting delays and foster trusting relationships with local communities

Miranda Domico, Associate – Renewable Energy Markets, The Nature Conservancy

2:00 – 3:00 p.m. :: The Five C’s of Agrivoltaics

• Insights and lessons learned from 25 agrivoltaic sites across the US that span crop production, pollinator habitat, and livestock production
• Discussion of the five central elements that lead to the success of agrivoltaics
  • Climate
  • Configurations
  • Crop Selection
  • Compatibility
  • Collaboration

Bifacial Module Agrivoltaics Research at NREL

• Results from the first growing season at the NREL agrivoltaic site
• Focuses on annual vegetable crop production and impact of agrioltaics on yield

Kai Lepley, Agrivoltaics and Land-Energy-Water Nexus Researcher, National Renewable Energy Laboratory

3:00 – 3:15 p.m. :: Afternoon Break

3:15 – 4:00 p.m. :: Agrivoltaic Strategies from the Department of Energy

• How agrivoltaics, and land-use in general, fits into the energy transition
• Outline of agrivoltaics strategy and how the DOE makes agrivoltaics work for solar stakeholders and rural communities
• Research portfolio: where and what the DOE is funding
• Federally supported resources for using best known science to ground agrivoltaics practices

Zachary Goff-Eldredge, Technology Manager, United States Department of Energy

 

Wednesday, November 15, 2023 : Central Time

9:00 – 9:45 a.m. :: Design and Layout of Agrivoltaic Systems                   

• Site assessment and suitability analysis for agrivoltaics
• Design considerations for solar panel placement and orientation
• Shading management techniques and impacts on crop growth
• Integration of support structures and electrical systems

Tyler Kanczuzewski, Vice President of Sustainability, Inovateus Solar

9:45 – 10:45 a.m. :: Financing and Ownership Structures Available in Agrivoltaics

• Ownership structures and how to discuss them with farmers and community members
• State and Federal incentive updates
• Inflation Reduction Act (IRA)

Dr. Stacie Peterson, Energy Program Director, National Center for Appropriate Technology and Agri-Solar Clearinghouse

Laura Howe, Senior Energy Engineer, National Center for Appropriate Technology and Agri-Solar Clearinghouse

10:45 – 11:00 a.m. :: Morning Break

11:00 – 11:45 a.m. :: Case Study – Pilot Project

Managing Agrivoltaics with Perennial Vegetation to Maximize Ecosystem Services

The focus of this study was to determine how various perennial vegetation management strategies influence the provision of ecosystem services by agrivoltaic facilities. Key ecosystem services that will be discussed include forage/hay production, pollinator habitat, and soil carbon sequestration. This research was done at Jack’s Solar Garden in Longmont, CO and can inform agrivoltaic management plans in other semi-arid climates throughout the Rocky Mountain region.

Christopher Toy, Ph.D., Candidate at Colorado State University, Department of Soil and Crop Sciences

11:45 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. :: Case Study – Project Development

Logansport Solar

This case study will highlight the importance of site prep, strategic timing for planting, and the meticulous upkeep required for a successful solar pollinator field.

Tyler Kanczuzewski, Vice President of Sustainability, Inovateus Solar

12:15 – 1:00 p.m. :: Break for Lunch

1:00 – 1:45 p.m. :: Case Study – Agrivoltaic Community Collaboration

Connexus Energy & Big River Farms

Connexus Energy, the Midwest’s largest electric cooperative, pioneered use of pollinator-friendly ground cover for grid-scale solar more than eight years ago. Now, in partnership with nonprofit Big River Farms and the National Renewable Energy Lab, Connexus is demonstrating and documenting safe and replicable practices and processes to enable use of solar site land for cultivation of specialty, hand-harvested crops by emerging farmers.

Rob Davis, Public Affairs & Program Director, Connexus Energy

Big River Farms

1:45 – 2:30 p.m. :: Case Study – Putting Federal Funding to Work

United States Department of Energy FARMS Funding

Iowa State University has partnered with Alliant Energy after receiving FARMS funding from the United States Department of Energy. Professor Nair will discuss their team’s four-year plan and the research behind their decisions to grow fruits and vegetables, plant a pollinator mix and have a dedicated section for honey production.

Ajay Nair, Department of Horticulture Professor, Iowa State University

2:30 – 2:45 p.m. :: Afternoon Break

2:45 – 3:45 p.m. :: Case Study – Utility-scale Solar Development Strategies

Managing Forage and Livestock Requirements within Utility-Scale Solar Farms

As the interest in utility-scale solar development increases, exploring the feasibility of multi-use land strategies that incorporate agricultural and conservation practices with solar energy production are of growing interest. To identify multi-use land strategies that offer the best of economic, environmental, and social benefit, a team from The Ohio State University (OSU) College of Food, Agriculture, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES) connected with the Director of Farming Operations and Agrivoltaics at Savion, LLC to investigate alternative vegetation management strategies.

Brady Campbell, Ph.D., State Small Ruminant Extension Specialist, Ohio State University

3:45 – 4:30 p.m. :: Case Study – Partnerships to Propel Agrivoltaics Forward

Using Fundamental Agrivoltaics Research to Speed Early Adoption and Inform State Policy

New Jersey, one of the most densely populated states, has a goal of 100% clean energy by 2050 and will soon start accepting farmers and landowners into its nation-leading Dual-Use Solar Energy Pilot Program. Rutgers University, in partnership with American Farmland Trust, Delaware State University, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, and with the support of a U.S. DOE FARMS award, will use new agrivoltaic systems at its experiment station farms both to conduct fundamental research and to engage with farmers who might become early adopters of agrivoltaics. Project team members will discuss the goals of their project and how agrivoltaics might fit into New Jersey’s diverse agricultural landscape.

Ethan Schoolman, Associate Professor of Human Ecology, Rutgers University

Dave Specca, Assistant Director, Rutgers EcoComplex

Ethan Winter, National Smart Solar Director, American Farmland Trust

• Josh Bennett, Project Developer, EDF Renewables

• Lucy Bullock-Sieger, Vice President of Strategy, Lightstar Renewables

• Brady Campbell, Ph.D., State Small Ruminant Extension Specialist, Ohio State University

• Kevin Campbell, Director – Development, EDF Renewables

• Rob Davis, Public Affairs & Program Director, Connexus Energy

• Miranda Domico, Associate – Renewable Energy Markets, The Nature Conservancy

• Zachary Goff-Eldredge, Technology Manager, US Department of Energy

• Laura Howe, Senior Energy Engineer, National Center for Appropriate Technology and Agri-Solar Clearinghouse

• Tyler Kanczuzewski, Vice President of Sustainability, Inovateus Solar

• Austin Kinzer, Agrivoltaics Senior Technical Specialist, American Farmland Trust

• Kai Lepley, Agrivoltaics and Land-Energy-Water Nexus Researcher, National Renewable Energy Laboratory

• Ajay Nair, Department of Horticulture Professor, Iowa State University

• Stacie Peterson, Energy Program Director, National Center for Appropriate technology and Agri-Solar Clearinghouse

• Dave Specca, Assistant Director, Rutgers EcoComplex

• Ethan Schoolman, Associate Professor of Human Ecology, Rutgers University

• Christopher Toy, Ph.D. Candidate at Colorado State University, Department of Soil and Crop Sciences

• Ethan Winter, National Smart Solar Director, American Farmland Trust

We will be using Microsoft Teams to facilitate your participation in the upcoming event. You do not need to have an existing Teams account in order to participate in the broadcast – the course will play in your browser and you will have the option of using a microphone to speak with the room and ask questions, or type any questions in via the chat window and our on-site representative will relay your question to the instructor.

• Microsoft recommends downloading and installing the Teams app if possible. You may also use the Edge browser or Chrome.
• You will receive a separate email with a unique link to a personalized landing page which will include links to join all sessions of this event.
• If you are using a microphone, please ensure that it is muted until such time as you need to ask a question.
• The remote meeting connection will be open approximately 30 minutes before the start of the course. We encourage you to connect as early as possible in case you experience any unforeseen problems.

Please Note: This event is being conducted entirely online. All attendees will connect and attend from their computer, one connection per purchase. For details please see our FAQ

If you are unable to attend at the scheduled date and time, we make recordings available to all attendees for 7 days after the event

REGISTER NOW FOR THIS EVENT:

Agrivoltaics/Dual Use Solar Fundamentals & Best Practices

November 14-15, 2023 | Online

Your registration may be transferred to a member of your organization up to 24 hours in advance of the event. Cancellations must be received on or before October 13, 2023 in order to be refunded and will be subject to a US $195.00 processing fee per registrant. No refunds will be made after this date. Cancellations received after this date will create a credit of the tuition (less processing fee) good toward any other EUCI event. This credit will be good for six months from the cancellation date. In the event of non-attendance, all registration fees will be forfeited. In case of conference cancellation, EUCIs liability is limited to refund of the event registration fee only. For more information regarding administrative policies, such as complaints and refunds, please contact our offices at 303-770-8800

Credits

EUCI is accredited by the International Accreditors for Continuing Education and Training (IACET) and offers IACET CEUs for its learning events that comply with the ANSI/IACET Continuing Education and Training Standard. IACET is recognized internationally as a standard development organization and accrediting body that promotes quality of continuing education and training.

EUCI is authorized by IACET to offer 1.2 CEUs for this event

Requirements for Successful Completion of Program

Participants must sign in/out each day, be in attendance for the entirety of the course to be eligible for continuing education credit.

Instructional Methods

Power Point presentations, group discussion and case studies

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Upon successful completion of this event, program participants interested in receiving CPE credits will receive a certificate of completion.

Conference CPE Credits: 13.5
There is no prerequisite for this Conference.
Program field of study: Specialized Knowledge
Program Level: Basic
Delivery Method: Group Internet Based
Advanced Preparation: None

EUCI is registered with the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) as a sponsor of continuing professional education on the National Registry of CPE Sponsors. State boards of accountancy have final authority on the acceptance of individual courses for CPE credit. Complaints regarding registered sponsors may be submitted to the National Registry of CPE Sponsors through its web site: www.nasbaregistry.org

 

Who Should Attend

• Solar project developers
• Solar investors and sponsors
• Solar project lenders
• Solar project legal, accounting and other advisors
• Solar project OEM suppliers
• Solar project EPCs
• Solar project environmental advisory firms
• Agrivoltaic service providers
• Utilities
• State and federal environmental staff
• State regulatory commission staff
• Community economic development staff
• Community stakeholders