As we discuss energy efficiency in the utility industry in this community, one of the most exciting ideas remains distributed energy resources (DERs). The idea that having energy being generated in smaller amounts in places that are closer to where it will be consumed increases the overall efficiency of the system-- lower T&D losses, not to mention the increased resilience that comes from associated interconnected microgrids and the fact that DERs are typically clean & renewable sources.

While the mainstream population has certainly been aware of technology like rooftop solar, the most prominent type of DER, the broader idea hasn't gotten terribly much play that I've read. That only made me more excited, though, when I came across this article in the Washington Post that described the ability for farmers to implement solar panels in their vast land as a means to make money and contribute clean power to the grid.

The article, titled "The next money crop for farmers: Solar panels," follows an Illinois farmer who has take his abundance of land and is looking to expand his solar panel installations so he can start selling the energy, nothing that the profit would be about triple the average harvest of corn and soybeans he brings in.

The most is not without its controversy, as using fertile land and not growing food on it for an increasingly populated and hungry world is of course a concern. However, the farmer profiled here notes that their crops have inherent uncertainty that affects their livelihoods and creating reliable income from solar panels is a great way to mitigate those risks. In particular, one of the farmers interviewed notes that soybean prices are especially damaged at the moment and "a farmer's got to make a living." This push and pull of forces that have farmers giving up some of their land to create at least partial solar farms is definitely concerning, and a topic that warrants wider consideration. But the coolest part of this article was one of the argicultural professors discussing the way that farmers could potentially secure the best of both worlds:

“It’s not outside the realm of possibility to grow corn or beans under solar panels,” he said. “Imagine growing ginger, garlic, strawberries, a number of things that . . . could get you some bang for your buck per acre.”

Such science would seemingly be a win-win for everyone involved. Farmers would remain profitable, even when crop prices are volatile, and the region's grid would get to see more distributed, efficient, and renewable energy. This is a story that seems to only really just be beginning, but it's without a doubt one to watch. Resources of every kind on this planet are scarce, so extracting the most benefit from them at the lowest prices is critical.

What are your takes on this article and general strategy-- are farmlands going to be the next big player in the DER field? Are there other negatives that aren't being properly considered?