The widespread adoption and development of solar across a nearly full range of landscapes, topographies and geographies has triggered multiple “dual use” innovations.  Among the most promising of these is agrivoltaics: incorporating into a solar project natural resource practices broadly characterized as agriculture – such as pollinating, sheep grazing and the cultivation of crops as well as natural grasses.  These additional elements can benefit a project’s carbon footprint, community appeal and economics.

This tutorial course will provide a coherent road map:

• What elements comprise dual-use solar and agrivoltaics projects
• The “dollars-and-sense” value proposition of dual-use solar and agrivoltaics for renewable energy developers
• From a project development perspective, the impact on solar design, engineering and operations costs and development timetables
• Implementation case studies under multiple dual-use solar and agrivoltaic project development scenarios
• Best practices for scoping and implementing dual-use solar and agrivoltaic projects

Learning Outcomes

Attendees will gain practical skills and insights on how to:

• Review the fundamental elements and best practices that best inform project developers considering dual-use/agrivoltaic projects
• Identify the Ag practices that can be co-located with solar project development, as well as their potential outcomes
• Assess what modifications to conventional project development practices and component selection are necessary to accommodate Ag elements
• Estimate cost (LCOE) vs. benefits of co-locating agricultural practices with solar projects
• Analyze supplemental revenue streams associated with dual use solar/agrivoltaic elements
• Examine case studies of dual-use solar/agrivoltaics projects from the perspective of project sponsors, developers and EPCs

WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 26, 2022

9:00 – 9:20 a.m. :: Overview & Introductions

9:20 – 10:45 a.m. :: Dual-Use Solar/Agrivoltaics Components

• Types
• Current installations
• Variables
• Tools

10:45 – 11:00 a.m. :: Morning Break

11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. :: Evaluating Dual-Use Solar/Agrivoltaics Project Modifications

• Adjustments required to typical solar installation design
  • Modules
  • Structural (racking, tracking)
  • Array and infrastructure layout

12:30 – 1:15 p.m. :: Lunch Break

1:15 – 2:45 p.m. :: Engineering and Component Dual-Use Solar/Agrivoltaics Project Development Cost Impacts

• Design adder(s)
• Capital adder(s)
• Engineering adder(s)
• Labor adder(s)
• Ag feature(s) adder(s)
• O&M
• Impact on LCOE

2:45 – 3:00 p.m. :: Afternoon Break

3:00 – 4:45 p.m. :: Weighing the Dual-Use Solar/Agrivoltaics Value Proposition

• Grazing
• Pollination
• Crops
• Native vegetation
• Benefits to solar production from dual-use/ag elements
• Subtractions from solar production from dual-use/ag elements
• Analyze supplemental revenue streams associated with dual-use solar/agrivoltaic elements
• Scalability
• Selecting appropriate dual-use/ag elements

4:45 p.m. :: Course Adjourns for Day

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2022

9:00 – 10:30 a.m. :: Dual-Use Solar/Agrivoltaics Case Studies

• For several years, EDF Renewables (EDFR) has operated its 23.4-MW Arnprior solar project in Ottawa, Canada with dual use in mind. Over the project’s decade and a half of operation, EDFR has initiated multiple agrivoltaic collaborations – hives, native wild flowers and milkweed, and sheep-grazing as a method of vegetation management to reduce shading on the solar modules.  The project developer will detail insights, best practices and scalability of these concepts across its broader portfolio of assets.

• In Summer 2021, BlueWave Solar completed a first-of-its-kind dual-use, 4.2-MW community solar project located on a blueberry farm in Rockport, Maine blueberry farm in Maine. The project incorporates varying tiers of defined construction procedures to determine the effects of different approaches that optimize the agrivoltaic outcome.

10:30 – 10:45 a.m. :: Morning Break

10:45 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. :: Dual-Use Solar/Agrivoltaics Case Studies

• In its Aurora Solar portfolio, Enel Green Power has incorporated multiple agrivoltaic elements across 16 project sites in 12 counties, spanning a combined 900 acres in Minnesota. It has blended pollinator habitat with grazing as key elements of its vegetation management. The case study will describe the preparation and administration of its cultural practices at this utility scale.

• Indiana’s largest solar farm, the 200-MW Riverstart Solar Park, included dual-use components in its design from the outset. The EDP Renewables’ project construction and completion this year followed dual-use guidelines promulgated by Eastern Indiana’s Randolph County.  The land stewardship provision that requires the groundcover of all solar projects developed there to be native meadow grasses, clovers, and pollinator-friendly wildflower plants.  This case study will describe the collaboration effort and how that might be replicated in other jurisdictions.

12:15 p.m. :: Course Adjournment

Scoping A Dual-Use Solar/Agrivoltaic Project

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2022 : CENTRAL TIME

This workshop will provide guidance on how to utilize the essential tools for building a dual-use solar/agrivoltaic project pro forma and supporting documentation.  It will also outline an implementation blueprint and strategy for incorporating the ag-related functions into a conventional project development strategy.

Learning Outcomes

• Identify where to source info and data to inform preparation of solar dual use/agrivoltaic documentation
• Demonstrate industry software tools to guide solar dual use/agrivoltaic pro forma development
• Construct a strategy and process blueprint for solar dual use/agrivoltaic implementation

Agenda

1:00 – 1:15 p.m. :: Overview & Introductions

1:15 – 2:45 p.m. :: Building a Pro Forma

• Sourcing info and data
• System Advisor Model (SAM) & PVWatts
• InSPIRE Agrivoltaics Financial Calculator

2:45 – 3:00 p.m. :: Afternoon Break

3:00 – 4:30 p.m. :: Preparing an Implementation Blueprint

• Evaluating dual-use solar/agrivoltaic options
• Identifying and managing the team of experts
• Stakeholder and local agency engagement
• Ensuring fit and compatibility
• Procuring services

4:30 p.m. :: Workshop Adjournment