Elliott Steele, a researcher at the UC Davis Wild Energy Center, is now studying how a floating solar array at the Nelson Family Vineyards in Mendocino County, Calif. affects birds. He's also studying how a 6-MW floating solar array–Califronia's largest– in Sonoma County is influencing wildlife. In Florida, he says, alligators and other animals hang out on the solar systems.

Wildlife can also affect the floating solar panels, by defecating on them, for example, and lowering the solar output.

This is a follow up to my last podcast episode about Nelson Family Vineyards' floating solar array.

Guest:

Elliott Steele, Ph.D, solar postdoctoral scholar, Wild Energy Center

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Nelson Family Vineyards in Mendocino County, Calif., will soon power up its floating solar system, deployed on pontoons on an irrigation pond, expecting to cut utility costs, which jumped 180% over the last three years, by about $90,000 annually.

Researchers at the University of California Davis are studying how the system will affect wildlife–the focus of our next podcast, which will touch on how songbirds at the farm are affected by the system–and how alligators in Florida climb onto these systems.

The Nelsons are looking into selling or transferring a 30% investment tax credit to help pay for the system.

Guests

Tyler Nelson, vice president, Nelson Family Vineyards

Tate Tussing, business development manager at Noria Energy.

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Itanna and Yosafe Murphy are working to use agrivoltaics--co-locating solar PV energy production with agricultural activities on their 160-acre farm--to provide healthy, fresh and tasty food to their community, along with STEM education and energy resilience.

In addition to agrivoltaics, the project, located in Oregon's Willamette Valley, will integrate vertical farming and hydroponics. Oregon State University, Ecotrust, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory and others have joined the effort as technical partners.

Despite the loss of funding sources from the federal government under the Trump administration, the pair are moving forward with a "blank canvas and a really big idea," hoping to create a model for other farmers.

Visit Sheba Farm to learn more.

Background:

Hay Farming Doesn't Pay the Bills. Agrivoltaics Does

Oregon Agrivoltaics-Based Microgrid Tackles Crop Warming from Climate Changge--and May Improve the Taste of Lettuce.

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A virtual power plant (VPP) is a collection of small-scale energy resources that, aggregated and coordinated with grid operations, can provide the same reliability and economic value to the grid as a traditional power plant, according to the nonprofit organization RMI.

And VPPs can help utility customers earn money. Large energy users can earn up to $100,000 a year through CPower Energy's program, said Mike Smith, CEO of CPower.

A recent report from RMI identified some of the gains VPPs have made recently. For example, 10 legislatures introduced VPP bills and four states passed VPP legislation in 2024. But more action is needed to meet the organization's goal of ensuring all US electricity consumers have access to VPP programs by 2035. Action is also needed to accelerate VPP adoption to meet booming energy demand.

Guests:

Gabriela Olmedo, head of policy and regulatory affairs at EnergyHub.

Mike Smith, CEO at CPower.

Background Reading:

RMI progress report, "From Awareness to Action."

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Tim Nesbitt, former chief of staff to Oregon Governor Ted Kulongoski, claims bragging rights for charging his Chevy Bolt EV solely with solar power on his small farm, which is carbon neutral--and sometimes carbon negative. He has 84 ground-mounted solar panels that generate 18-19 kWh daily. Batteries provide some resilience for critical systems such as the internet and refrigeration.

Nesbitt's friend, another farmer, is earning $1,500 per acre for selling solar installed on his farm by a third party--more than he can make by growing certain crops.

Through the EVmath program, Nesbitt tells his story to help other rural residents understand the benefits of driving EVs.

Related podcast:

Crunching the EV Numbers in Rural Areas with EVmath

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Learn more about host Lisa Cohn's writing at CleanEnergyWriters.com

Whether you're a consumer who hoards old photos or a company that hangs onto unusable data, you're boosting data centers' energy costs.

By focusing on reducing hoarded--or "junk" data--and improving efficiency, data centers can slash power consumption by 40% to 60%, according to Simon Ninan, senior vice president, business strategy, Hitachi Vantara.

Ninan provides details about how data centers can achieve this kind of savings.

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Email host Lisa Cohn at Lisa@CleanEnergyWriters.com

Learn more about her at CleanEnergyWriters.com

Background reading:

Oregon Legislature Passes Power Act, Targeting Industrial Energy Users Like Data Centers

Energy Solutions for Data Centers Aren't Always Obvious. Take These Ideas

At the Sun Day event Sept. 21 in Portland, Ore.--a rally for clean energy--attendees shared their opinions about the Trump administration's policies targeting clean energy. They described the energy savings and resilience they're experiencing installling solar and storage at home.

One atttendee started to shed tears recalling her involvement in the first Earth Day and the clean-energy inroads that effort yielded. A representative from the Sunrise Movement explained why it's important for youth to be included in clean energy discussions. And two solar prosumers outlined the benefits they're experiencing from their solar and storage deployments.

A team of women sporting solar panel outfits marched around the park where the event was held.

The organizers of the event included Third Act and Indivisible.

Divest Oregon also partcipated in the event.

Visit CleanEnergyWriters to learn about host Lisa Cohn.

Email her at Lisa@CleanEnergyWriters.com