Nov 28, 2017 - Agrophotovoltaics - Agriculture and renewable energy have worked together for more than fifteen centuries, ever since ancient Persians began using windmills to pump water and grind grain. Today, in the Midwestern US, we see cornfields sharing acreage with megawatt-scale wind turbines that produce minimal shading effects on crops, significant power enhancements to the grid, and additional income for farmers. Researchers in Baden-Württemberg, a region in southern Germany, are looking for ways to increase sustainable energy production in an area where wind speeds are relatively slow, making solar the preferred electrical generating technology. But plants need sunlight…
![To get enough algae to make one pair means cleaning 57 gallons of water, which are then returned to the lake. [Photo: courtesy Vivobarefoot]](/media/k2/items/cache/986a0a2d16bd26db6b55d4de1f874ec4_S.jpg)
