Maine pairs solar panels with wild blueberries. Will it bear fruit?

[underpants]

https://www.renewableenergyworld.com/solar/maine-pairs-solar-panels-with-wild-blueberries-will-it-bear-fruit/

Maine’s wild blueberries are a unique crop that can’t be planted from seed, explains lifelong blueberry farmer Paul Sweetland. They must be gently cultivated where the low-lying bushes grow naturally, and the small, sweet berries are sold in the local area, too delicate to easily transport far.

The University of Maine is studying this example of dual-use agrivoltaics. The solar installation was developed by the Boston-based solar developer BlueWave, and it is owned by the company Navisun, which makes lease payments to the landowner. Sweetland tends, harvests and sells the blueberries, and shares profits with the landowner.

Across the country, farmers regularly lease their land for utility-scale or community solar installations, but typically crops are not grown on that same land. With dual-use agrivoltaics, crops are grown under or between the rows of solar panels, with the aim of generating renewable energy without removing farmland from production.

Farmers or landowners can collect incentives for solar energy, and some states including Virginia, New York, New Jersey and Massachusetts have or are considering incentives specifically for agrivoltaics. Agrivoltaics work best with crops that don’t grow too high, that are picked by hand, and that benefit from the shade the panels provide.

[dweller]

1. Well, maybe in Maine

But here in NC farmers argued against solar panels, bc
“there wouldn’t be enough sunshine left for the crops”

😵?💫




✌🏻

[LeftInTX]

8. Blueberries prefer shade

Corn has the highest need for heat and sun.

Tobacco also tolerates shade

Everything else is pretty much sun...

[dweller]

9. Mine have always done fine

in full sun 🌞




✌🏻

[pansypoo53219]

14. we found wild blueberries when we got lost in the wood. all over a bumpy open area.

we needed them.

[Pinback]

2. Today's secret word is "agrivoltaics."

Whenever somebody says it, scream real loud!


Cool idea -- should have plenty of potential.

[ratchiweenie]

3. Love this article. What could we grow this way in Montana? Guess I might do some research.

[Arkansas Granny]

5. Well, you might try dental floss.

[bluedigger]

4. I harvested Maine blueberries once, when i was a teenager.

I got up at 4AM, rode in the back of an open pickup with 8 or so others to the top of the mountain in the fog, and crawled across rocky ground in a lane marked by string with a blueberry rake, filling a five gallon bucket. We were home by noon, because you have to rake in the morning before the berries dry out and lose weight. I think I made around 35 cents for each five gallon bucket. I did it for a week.

[electric_blue68]

6. How did they taste? Not a whole handful, but a few?

[bluedigger]

11. Perfect

[electric_blue68]

13. Lovely. Never had those vs regular ones.

[electric_blue68]

7. Sounds interesting

[SWBTATTReg]

10. So they are coming up w/ a hybrid called 'solar berries'?

Ha hah heh....couldn't resist, yeah, yeah, I know it's corny.

[Wounded Bear]

12. Great idea! nt