Byron Kominek, a 42-year-old farmer, has created a sustainable farm in Longmont, Colorado, that combines solar panels with agriculture. He calls it Jack’s Solar Garden, named after his grandfather. Kominek’s farm generates enough electricity to power approximately 300 homes, and beneath the solar panels, ducks, geese, and sheep graze, and crops like salad greens, corn, and radishes thrive. As temperatures rise, Kominek argues that agrivoltaics could provide a blueprint for farmers to adapt to climate change.
Kominek’s journey into agrivoltaics began when he realized that traditional farming was not viable. He was inspired by the concept of agrivoltaics, which involves combining solar panels with agriculture. Kominek was able to put a lien on his farm to finance the construction of the solar panels and now earns $20,000 annually by selling energy to subscribers.
Kominek’s farm has become a nationally recognized site for agrivoltaic research. He has found that certain crops have thrived in the partial shade of the solar panels, and the shade itself has provided a 15-20 degree cooler temperature than areas in direct sun, helping to save water.
However, Kominek notes that the current evaluation system for large-scale solar projects focuses too much on the price per kilowatt hour and not enough on land stewardship. He believes that the solar industry sees all vegetation as the enemy and that utility companies fear animals could damage solar arrays and that vegetation could interfere with energy capture.
Despite the challenges, Kominek is optimistic about the future of agrivoltaics. He has had success grazing both sheep and cattle on his land and thinks that future solar projects can take many forms, including small-scale grazing and vegetable farming. Kominek believes that a willingness to adapt is key to success in agrivoltaics and that the number one key to success is a willingness to change and adapt.