With the uncertainty of Hawaiian Electric’s status on Maui, it may be prudent to start a new industry. The use of an agrivoltaics system on state or private agricultural land would accomplish three things at the same time.
The farmland can be used by first putting in solar panels 10-12 feet high, then planting certain crops that don’t require direct sun under the panels. It will also save water during the irrigation process since the water will not evaporate as quickly in the shade. Some of the crops that would work are basil, broccoli, celery, lettuce, corn, potatoes, spinach, tomatoes and hemp.
To further increase the crop yield, LED lights could be placed under the solar panels to be run at night.
The land would not only be producing crops but also electricity at the same time. If grass and weeds grow around the legs of the solar panel structures, goats can be employed as animal lawnmowers to eat the grass and weeds as long as the crop areas are properly fenced.
So now you have agricultural crops, electricity, and goat milk and cheese.
Ken Takeya
Kailua
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