I did wonder when someone was going to point out to Alberta premier Danielle Smith that there are alternatives to siting solar panels directly on the ground and thus taking farmland out of production. And this week, Tyee News did it with an excellent article about the potential of agrivoltaics.

Agrivoltaics sites solar panels so they provide cover for crops grown underneath them, even as they generate power. Crop yields increase, water and fertilizer requirements decrease, and farmers get additional income outside the growing season by selling solar electricity. 

Research shows that converting just four per cent of Canada’s farmland to agrivoltaics can supply Canada’s electricity needs while creating a sustainable long-term food system for its entire population.