Arizona Farmers Harness Solar Panels to Shield Crops, Conserve Water & Produce Energy

For 31 consecutive days last summer, Phoenix experienced temperatures that reached or exceeded 110 degrees, marking the longest such streak on record. This extreme Arizona heat dehydrates crops and evaporates crucial water reserves.

Creating shade is emerging as a potential solution. By integrating solar panels, farmers can protect their plants, conserve water, and reduce energy costs. Federal programs are supporting this sustainable approach.

Photovoltaic panels are installed above crops to harness solar energy while offering essential shade. “The solar arrays will help shade and improve our water-use efficiency, which is crucial in places like New Mexico and Arizona,” explained Derek Whitelock, supervisory agricultural engineer at the U.S. Department of Agriculture. “Plants don’t need as much sun as they get here in the West.”

The Arizona Department of Water Resources reports that three-fourths of the state’s water supply is dedicated to agricultural irrigation. With the Colorado River Basin under a Tier 1 water shortage, farmers are urgently exploring new sustainable growing methods.

In collaboration with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the University of Arizona has developed an agrivoltaics research site to investigate the benefits of solar farming in Arizona. Greg Barron-Gafford, a University of Arizona professor leading the project, noted significant water savings. A study revealed that soil moisture on an agrivoltaic plot remained 15% higher with irrigation every other day compared to a plot without solar panels.

Some crops, such as cowpea beans (black-eyed peas), yielded more with less water when cultivated under solar panels. In full sun, these plants required twice as much water. “Agrivoltaics helped us increase bean production by providing shade, reducing plant stress,” Barron-Gafford said.

Growing Green, a nonprofit, has implemented an agrivoltaic plot at Spaces of Opportunity, a 19-acre community farm in Phoenix. Their small 4.8 kW system supplies about 40% of the farm’s energy needs and is projected to reduce carbon emissions by 17,000 lbs annually compared to conventional energy sources. “With more panels, it can power everything on the farm, from cold storage to lights and bathrooms,” noted Sarah Bendok, founder of Growing Green. “It’s rewarding to develop a project that benefits the community, crops, and the environment.”

Several federal programs aim to encourage sustainable growing practices, particularly those integrating renewable energy. The Rural Energy for America Program invested $63 million in Arizona from 2018 to 2022, offering loans and grants for clean energy ventures.

Funding from the Inflation Reduction Act, signed by President Joe Biden in August 2022, includes incentives for clean energy and climate initiatives. Among its provisions, the IRA provides a 30% tax credit for farmers incorporating solar panels.

Furthermore, the Gila River Indian Community started installing solar panels over the Casa Blanca Canal earlier this year, backed by $5.65 million in federal funding. The project will cover nearly 3,000 feet of the canal, minimizing water evaporation and producing over 1.31 megawatts of green energy, according to the U.S. Department of the Interior.