This episode is a conversation between Stacie Peterson, NCAT’s Energy Program Director and Manager of the AgriSolar Clearinghouse, and Nate Tassinari, the owner of Million Little Sunbeams, a third-generation hay farm in Monson, Massachusetts.
It is the second in a series of AgriSolar Clearinghouse podcasts that are being featured on ATTRA’S Voices from the Field podcast.
Nate’s hay operation is a 1-acre farm co-located with a solar array that generates 250 kilowatts of power. It is centrally located among a network of family farms and has solar panels that are elevated 10 feet above the ground, both to accommodate haying equipment and to satisfy Massachusetts regulations for incentives.
In the conversation, Nate describes the financial aspects of owning a solar array, how to harvest the sun during the winter, the interconnection of family farmlands, and the role solar can play in farm ownership.
This material is based upon work supported by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) under the Solar Energy Technologies Office Award Number DE-EE000937. Legal Disclaimer: The views expressed herein do not necessarily represent the views of the U.S. Department of Energy or the United States Government.
Related ATTRA Resources:
· AgriSolar Podcasts. Ep. 1. Growing Crops Among the Solar Panels in Colorado
Other Resources:
· AgriSolar Clearinghouse
· Case Study: Million Little Sunbeams
· UMass Clean Energy Extension Plays Part in First SMART-Approved Dual-Use Solar Project
Contact Stacie Peterson at stacieb@ncat.org
Please complete a brief survey to let us know your thoughts about the content of this podcast.
You can get in touch with NCAT/ATTRA specialists and find access to our trusted, practical sustainable-agriculture publications, webinars, videos, and other resources at ATTRA.NCAT.ORG.
Learn about NCAT’s other innovative sustainable agriculture programs.
Episode 276. Managing Photosynthesis Through Optimal Grazing
How 'Dirt Farming’ is the Foundation of a Mississippi Grazing Operation
Study Explores the Effects of Stress on Farmer Well-Being
Tootie's Tempeh: Bringing Organic Plant-Based Proteins to Local Consumers and Institutions
She's Raising Sheep: Minnesota Shepherd Janet McNally. Part 2
Episode 271. Farmer Veteran Finds Passion in Horticulture Therapy
Episode 270. Grazing with Wildlife in Mind. Part 2
Grazing with Wildlife in Mind. Part 1
Managing Land, Cattle, and Quality of Life: Dr. Tina Cone, DVM
How Farmers Markets Do More than Sell Local Goods
The Hopes and Challenges of Crop Insurance
Meet NCAT. Molly Kirkham Talks Local Food and Farm to Cafeteria
Holistic Animal Health with Dr. Ann Wells, DVM
Feeding the World: Localism, Ecological Resilience, and Farmer Agency
She's Raising Sheep: Minnesota Shepherd Janet McNally
Summer Grazing for Winter Stockpile
Rising Fertilizer Costs. Look to History for Answers
Everything Old is New Again, Exploring Indigenous and Traditional Agriculture Methods, Part 2
Everything Old is New Again, Exploring Indigenous and Traditional Agriculture Methods
Meet NCAT. Elise Haschke Talks Food, Farming, Climate, and ‘Moving at the Speed of Trust’
Create your
podcast in
minutes
It is Free
Navigating Life After 40
Teaching Learning Leading K-12
Regenerative Skills
The Jordan B. Peterson Podcast
The Mel Robbins Podcast