Local legislators visited the dual-use agriculture and solar PV research site at the UMass Crop and Animal Research and Education Center in South Deerfield. State Sen. Jo Comerford, D-Northampton, State Rep. Natalie M. Blais, D-Sunderland, and State Rep. Mindy Domb, D-Amherst, met with UMass Extension staff and representatives from Hyperion Systems LLC to discuss the compatibility of solar photovoltaics and farm production. The site is home to 106 solar panels producing 16.8 kilowatts of renewable energy as part of a photovoltaic dual-use research project aimed at growing crops and generating electricity.
An article about the visit is available on the Greenfield Recorder's website:
https://www.recorder.com/Local-state-politicians-visit-UMass-Research-Center-29540660
Research results from the dual-use array are available on the UMass Clean Energy Extension website:
https://ag.umass.edu/clean-energy/current-initiatives/solar-pv-agriculture
