Community solar gardens will soon play a bigger role in the Eastern Plains economy – The Fort Morgan Times

Author: Greg Brophy

Over the past 15 years, Colorado’s eastern plains have seen significant growth in wind energy projects, injecting billions of dollars into the local economy.

But another renewable energy source, solar power, will also become increasingly prominent in eastern Colorado in the coming years.

To be clear, these new solar installations will have a much smaller footprint than wind farms covering tens of thousands of acres in places like Logan, Lincoln, Kit Carson, Cheyenne and Elbert counties. But even if the scope of these solar projects is smaller, they still constitute
an important new economic driver for rural communities – and the next phase of an “all of the above” approach to energy in eastern Colorado.

A good example of the solar development you can expect in eastern Colorado can be found in Morgan County. As of 2020, a community solar plant has been operating near Interstate 76 in Brush.

The solar installation was a joint project between Pivot Energy, an independent renewable energy developer, and the state’s largest energy company, Xcel Energy.

Through the project, homes, businesses and even local governments can become members – or subscribers – of a solar project. They receive a portion of the electricity produced at the plant, which is then credited to their energy bills.

The project gives consumers who cannot or do not want to install solar panels directly on their properties the opportunity to purchase renewable energy directly if they wish. This is a great option for tenants – including many companies that rent premises but do not own them.

Due to the falling costs of electricity from solar panels, a solar energy subscription can also save consumers money compared to simply purchasing electricity from the wider grid.

This was one of the reasons that the first subscribers to the Brush Community Solar Project were the town of Brush, the Brush School District, the Weldon Valley School District, the Eben Ezer Lutheran Care District and the East Morgan County Library District, as well as a number of local residents.

Pivot Energy and other local solar developers are eyeing new projects for Morgan County and other communities on the eastern plains. In addition to the energy they produce and the economic growth they provide, there is another reason to look forward to these projects – the potential of something called “agrivoltaics.”

The term agrivoltaics refers to combining solar energy generation, agriculture and animal husbandry in the same area. In practice, agrivoltaics means building solar panels high enough above the ground so that crops can be grown and animals can graze in the shade underneath.

Much like leasing mineral rights to an oil and gas developer or hosting wind turbines, farmers and ranchers who can host solar projects can gain a valuable new source of income.

When solar panels are strategically placed and elevated, they create dappled shade, promoting a unique microclimate in the agricultural space. This opens the door to growing a wider range of crops or raising different livestock, maximizing the land’s potential. The shadow cast by the panels also helps reduce the amount of water needed for irrigation.

Interestingly, pilot projects have shown that vegetation growing under the panels provides a cooling effect, which in turn increases the efficiency of the solar panels themselves, enabling them to produce more electricity.

Time will tell whether new solar projects being considered for Morgan County and other parts of the Eastern Plains will incorporate such agrovoltaic practices. Agrivoltaics is in a very early stage of development, there is still a lot of research to be done and not every landowner needs or wants to place solar panels near their crops or livestock.

But just as communities on the Eastern Plains have expanded development of oil, gas and wind energy while maintaining their agricultural character, it is clear that they will be able to do the same with solar energy.

After all, finding innovative ways to generate more income from the same land is the backbone of farming and ranching communities. Photovoltaic projects will be yet another option for landowners to consider who want to increase the profitability of their operations.