The New York State Power Analysis and Growth Authority right now introduced $5 million is now accessible for demonstration tasks that co-locate photo voltaic siting and agricultural operations in New York State. By the Environmental Analysis Program, this funding will help researchers, photo voltaic builders, farmers, non-profit organizations and native governments focused on demonstrating using the identical land for renewable vitality era from photo voltaic panels and lively farming, often known as agrivoltaics. As we speak’s announcement helps the Local weather Motion Council Scoping Plan framework for a way New York will cut back greenhouse gasoline emissions and obtain net-zero emissions, and guarantee all communities equitably profit within the clear vitality transition.
“The combination of agriculture operations and clear vitality siting is vital to grasp the prices, advantages and market potential of finding two important industries in the identical house,” mentioned NYSERDA President and CEO Doreen M. Harris. “We stay up for creating new public-private partnerships that may present financial and agricultural information to exhibit the feasibility of co-locating photo voltaic and farming to tell a future that meets each New York State’s clear vitality and land use priorities.”
By this $5 million aggressive solicitation, NYSERDA is accepting proposals to help particular person agrivoltaic tasks integrating each new or retrofitted photo voltaic and farm operations comparable to these with cattle grazing, forage or specialty crop manufacturing, with as much as $750,000 per challenge. Researchers, photo voltaic builders, farmers, non-profit organizations and native governments are eligible to submit proposals that embody a photo voltaic website design, marketable agricultural commodity, estimates of anticipated agricultural manufacturing and photo voltaic era. Purposes might be accepted by means of 3:00 p.m. on September 12, 2024, by means of NYSERDA’s portal.
NYSERDA and the New York State Division of Agriculture and Markets (AGM) labored in shut collaboration to develop this solicitation and can research the outcomes of the collaborating tasks. Information collected from chosen tasks might be shared with farmers, photo voltaic builders and different stakeholders in order that profitable tasks could possibly be replicated elsewhere in New York State. Initiatives chosen will even be required to share information on prices, advantages and classes realized, along with internet hosting instructional occasions open to the general public to boost consciousness of design and function photo voltaic websites that combine agricultural manufacturing.
As we speak’s announcement demonstrates New York State’s dedication to creating info and instruments that help decision-making in communities and fascinating property house owners who’re contemplating co-utilization alternatives for agriculture and renewable vitality era. Each the New York State Farmland Safety Working Group, overseen by AGM and the Local weather Motion Council beneficial that the State research co-utilizing land for renewable vitality era and agricultural manufacturing and bigger floor mounted photo voltaic tasks have the potential to play an vital function in assembly New York State’s future vitality and emissions discount wants.
Funding for this initiative is thru the Regional Greenhouse Gasoline Initiative. Extra details about this funding is out there on NYSERDA’s web site.
Information merchandise from NYSERDA
