A pilot program in Houston, Alaska, is demonstrating how a solar farm can double as a food farm—and so far, it’s working, according to The New York Times. The approach, known as agrivoltaics, grows crops directly beneath and between rows of solar panels, making the land do double duty. In this project, the vegetables harvested under the panels are distributed free to local residents.
“It’s an income stream because farmers lease the land,” Chris Pike, a former research engineer with the Alaska Center for Energy and Power, told the Times. “It also means that solar producers don’t have to remove the vegetation that grows up between rows of solar panels, and that can reduce costs.”
The project received a $1.3 million U.S. Department of Energy grant, initially planned as a three-year experiment. Researchers had enough funding to plan, plant, and monitor the site for two years. The research team says its goal goes beyond simply testing whether crops can survive Alaska’s climate under solar infrastructure.
“The purpose is to study how food and energy can be produced together, in a place where food and energy cost a lot of money,” said Glenna Gannon, an assistant professor at the University of Alaska Fairbanks who led the project. “Self-sufficiency is really important in Alaska.”
But there’s now uncertainty about whether the work will continue next year. Researchers say they haven’t yet received confirmation that funding for the project’s final phase will be released.
Other Alaska communities, including Galena, a small Yukon River village and elsewhere across the state, are experimenting with solar installations of their own. Together, they’re part of a broader shift toward renewable power in one of the most energy-expensive regions of the country.
The push isn’t just about sustainability; it’s about survival. Solar farms are becoming a crucial backup as Alaska confronts a looming energy crunch. The natural gas fields that currently power much of south-central Alaska are expected to run dry within the next few years. Without new sources, residents could end up paying sharply higher prices for imported gas, or face with the risk of power shortages altogether.
