Vertical solar panels help farmers produce both energy and crops » Yale Climate Connections

Producing solar energy on a farm typically means covering a field with panels.

But now some companies make solar panels that stand vertically, so they take up less space and can be more easily integrated into pastures or croplands.

Biernath: “You still can work on the land, and it’s not just a solar farm and that’s it.”

Helge Biernath is the CEO of Sunstall, which makes vertical solar systems called Sunzaun.

At one winery in California, the Sunzaun solar systems snake in between rows of grapevines.

And Rutgers University is testing the use of Sunzaun panels in a cattle grazing field.

Biernath says the panels can double as fences, shade structures, or windbreaks.

And in addition to their use on farms, they could be installed along canals, railroads, or highways.

Biernath: “I think there’s a huge potential, especially when the sides of the freeways are open for developments.”

Biernath says vertical systems can pair well with other types of solar.

Because the sun hits them more directly at sunrise and sunset, vertical systems produce the most energy in the morning and evening, when rooftop or ground-mounted solar panels are less efficient.

So they could help get more clean energy on the grid, all while using less space.

Reporting credit: Ethan Freedman / ChavoBart Digital Media

We help millions of people understand climate change and what to do about it. Help us reach even more people like you.

The climate is changing, and our journalists are here to help you make sense of it. Sign up for our weekly email newsletter and never miss a story.

Republish This Story

Republish our articles for free, online or in print, under a Creative Commons license.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

We love it when others republish our articles. Most of our content – other than images – is available to republish for free under a Creative Commons license (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0). Here’s what to do:

by YCC Team, Yale Climate Connections October 21, 2024