Project Grant 20246701242969

** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** AS SOCIETY TRANSITIONS AWAY FROM FOSSIL FUEL TO RENEWABLE ALTERNATIVES, THERE BECOMES COMPETITION FOR OPEN LAND. AGRIPHOTOVOLTAICS (APV) IS A POTENTIAL SOLUTION FOR FARMING AND RENEWABLE ENERGY. APV IS THE INTEGRATION OF SOLAR PANELS INTO AN AGRICULTURAL SYSTEM, COMMONLY PLACED ON A SCAFFOLD ABOVE THE CROP, ALLOWING THE PRODUCTION OF CROPS AND GENERATION OF SOLAR ENERGY ON THE SAME AREA OF LAND. RESEARCH HAS DEMONSTRATED THAT THE IMPLEMENTATION OF APV SYSTEMS CAN OPTIMIZE LAND USE, IMPROVE CROP YIELDS, MINIMIZE WATER USE, GENERATE ENERGY, AND CONTRIBUTE TO RESILIENCE IN THE FOOD AND ENERGY PRODUCTION STREAMS. APV SYSTEMS SHOW PROMISE AS A MULTIFACETED SOLUTION TO SOME OF SOCIETY'S GREATEST PROBLEMS INCLUDING THE IMPACTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE, FOOD INSTABILITY, WATER SHORTAGES AND THE DEMAND FOR ALTERNATIVE ENERGY. APV SYSTEMS NEED TO BE FURTHER EVALUATED IN THE WESTERN UNITED STATES, TO DETERMINE THEIR POTENTIAL IN THE ARID AND SEMIARID CLIMATES OF CALIFORNIA, COLORADO, ARIZONA, AND NEW MEXICO. I PROPOSE A COMBINED RESEARCH AND EXTENSION-BASED APPROACH TO FURTHER THE KNOWLEDGE-BASE OF AGRIPHOTOVOLTAICS AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF TOOLS TO SUPPORT FARMERS IN IMPLEMENTING THESE SYSTEMS FOR A MORE SUSTAINABLE FUTURE. USING A MULTIPRONGED APPROACH, THIS PROJECT WILL 1) EVALUATE FRUIT AND VEGETABLE PRODUCTION IN AGRIPHOTOVOLTAIC SYSTEMS IN WESTERN COLORADO AND 2) ASSESS THE EFFECT OF THE PANELS ON PLANT GROWTH AND PLANT HEALTH. 3) THESE RESEARCH OUTCOMES AND OTHER RESEARCH-BASED KNOWLEDGE WILL BE DISSEMINATED TO LOCAL GROWERS AND PRODUCERS INTERESTED IN INSTALLING A SYSTEM ON THEIR OWN PROPERTY AS WELL AS THE NON-PRODUCER MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY.SOIL SAMPLES WILL BE COLLECTED AND ANALYZED BEFORE, DURING AND AFTER THE SOLAR ARRAY INSTALLATION PROCESS, TO EVALUATE THE IMPACT OF THE INSTALLATION PROCESS ON SOIL HEALTH AND SOIL PHYSICAL PROPERTIES. MICROCLIMATE CONDITIONS WILL BE RECORDED AND ANALYZED INCLUDING SOIL MOISTURE AND TEMPERATURE, HUMIDITY, SOLAR IRRADIANCE, AND AIR TEMPERATURE UNDER BOTH TREATMENT AND CONTROL PLOTS. THIS WILL ALLOW US TO TRACK AND COMPARE ANY DIFFERENCES IN GROWING CONDITIONS AND PLANT PERFORMANCE THROUGHOUT THE GROWING SEASON. EVALUATION OF DIFFERENT CROP TYPES AND VARIETIES WILL INFORM BEST PRACTICES FOR VEGETABLE PRODUCTION UNDER AGRIPHOTOVOLTAIC CONDITIONS IN THE AMERICAN SOUTHWEST. THROUGH THIS PROJECT WE WILL GAIN A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THE EFFECTS OF SOLAR ARRAY INSTALLATION ON SOIL HEALTH AND SOIL PHYSICAL PROPERTIES. WE WILL ALSO GAIN FURTHER INSIGHT INTO THE GROWING CONDITIONS UNDER APV SYSTEMS TO PRODUCE VEGETABLES IN WESTERN COLORADO. WE WILL DISSEMINATE RESEARCH-BASED KNOWLEDGE TO THE PRODUCER AND GENERAL COMMUNITY ON THE BENEFITS OF APV AND ITS POTENTIAL IN WESTERN COLORADO TO SUPPORT FOOD AND ENERGY PRODUCTION. THIS WORK WILL ESTABLISH A BASELINE FOR THE INTEGRATION OF PHOTOVOLTAICS AND AGRICULTURAL VEGETABLE PRODUCTION IN WESTERN COLORADO.