Solar Farming: Cultivating Energy and Crops Together
Boulder County, CO – We want our kids to go see the world, and come back home to bloom where they were planted. That’s what Byron Kominek did when he found out his folks didn’t have enough cash flow to save his family’s 24-acre farm in Colorado. They were in big trouble. He knew there had to be a way…
Byron hatched a plan. Adding solar panels to the mix would allow them to farm the sun with the panels and grow crops beneath them to increase cash flow. Something had to change and this was brilliant. But Byron couldn’t just carry out the plan because of how his family's land was “zoned.” Byron had to beg Boulder County officials to let him carry out this idea. He was denied. Apparently his land was classified as historic farmland and that didn’t include harvesting the sun. Would local government really want to kill a family farm’s future with zoning laws?
Byron persisted. He studied the issue, and showed the Boulder County officials research from Colorado State University and others about the benefit of growing food on the land under solar panels. He won over some hearts and minds– just enough to get the necessary permit. The solar farm came to fruition. In fact, Byron’s kale crops under the solar panels are thriving! Panels significantly reduced evaporation of valuable irrigation water due to the shade. He cultivates enough food under the panels to feed a similar number of local families. The panels on Kominek’s farm supply power to 300 homes for a year. Thank goodness this good plan wasn’t taken from this landowner. Many landowners aren’t able to make these kinds of win-win decisions for their cash flow and other community benefits. This isn’t right. Will you sign a petition to support landowner’s rights?
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