Agrivoltaics: A Sustainable Farming Solution in the Fraser Valley

This event, hosted by the Clean Energy Research Group at SFU alongside our partners, introduces agrivoltaics as a viable path for climate resilience and farm viability in BC.

With back-to-back years of devastating weather, agrivoltaics offers a model for crop protection, renewable energy, and improved water and energy efficiency without sacrificing existing farmland.

Agrivoltaics is the practice of integrating solar panel systems overtop farm field production to create a dual-yield of both electrical power and agriculture. Current research demonstrates that this pairing of agriculture with energy systems can help:

• Preserve Farmland While Maximizing Its Efficiency (Dual Use)

• Reduce Drought and Hail Damage From Climate Change On Our Agriculture Sector

• Create Green Jobs In Rural Farming Communities

• Help Transition The Agriculture Industry From Fossil Fuels To Renewable Energy

• Stimulate The Economy Through Decentralized Revenue Generation

Goals for the Event:

• Share lessons from cutting edge research and practical examples of Agrivoltaics

• Learn about opportunities for incentives and the current barriers for agrivoltaics adoption in BC

• Discuss some of the technical side of agrivoltaics and agrivoltaic greenhouses

• Facilitate dialogue among farmers, Okanagan residents, First Nations members, researchers, and policymakers.

Partnerships:

This event is being done in collaboration with University of the Fraser Valley's Agriculture Technology program, Sacred Earth Indigenous-led Sustainability NGO and will feature agrivoltaics experts from the American Farmland Trust, CERG and the PV industry as well as the local farming commmunity.

Many thanks to our event sponsor, REFBC.
Stay tuned for more details!

Parking is available onsite in Lot D, a shared municipal lot, and in nearby parking garages. If you park in a Reach-designated parking space in Lot D, please obtain a free parking pass from the front desk and display the pass on your vehicle’s dashboard.

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Host or Publisher The Clean Energy Research Group at SFU