Hydro-Agrivoltaic projects are important because they combine water management with solar energy production, enhancing land use efficiency and promoting sustainable agriculture. This approach can help mitigate climate change impacts while providing renewable energy and improving crop yields. Hydro agrivoltaic projects combine hydroelectric power generation with agricultural practices. This innovative approach offers several key benefits.
HAV BENEFITS
Enhanced Land Use Efficiency
- Dual Functionality: These projects utilize land for both energy production and agriculture, maximizing the use of available space.
- Sustainable Practices: By integrating solar panels with hydroelectric systems, they promote sustainable energy and food production simultaneously.
Climate Resilience
- Water Conservation: Hydro agrivoltaics can help reduce water evaporation from soil, which is crucial in arid regions.
- Crop Yield Improvement: Studies show that crops grown under solar panels can have increased yields due to moderated temperatures and improved moisture retention.
Economic Benefits
- Job Creation: These projects can create jobs in both the renewable energy and agricultural sectors, boosting local economies.
- Diversified Income: Farmers can benefit from land lease payments and increased crop production, providing a stable income source.
Environmental Advantages
- Reduced Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Integrating solar energy with agriculture can lower overall emissions compared to traditional farming and energy production methods.
- Biodiversity Support: These systems can enhance local ecosystems by providing habitats for pollinators and other wildlife.
Community Support
- Increased Public Acceptance: Combining energy and agricultural production can lead to greater community support for renewable energy projects, as they address both energy needs and food security.
Hydro agrivoltaic projects represent a promising solution to the challenges of climate change, food production, and energy generation, making them an important focus for sustainable development.
Here are 7 key reasons why Hydro Agrivoltaic (HAV) and Photovoltaics (PV) projects are important for clean renewable energy, and sustainable agriculture and farming
1. Zero Greenhouse Gas Emissions During Operation
Once installed, HAV and PV systems generate electricity without emitting CO₂ or other pollutants, helping to mitigate climate change and improve air quality.
2. Abundant and Renewable Energy Source
The sun provides more energy to Earth in one hour than the world uses in a year. HAV and PV projects tap into this vast, inexhaustible resource without depleting natural reserves.
3. Energy Independence and Security
Solar PV systems reduce dependence on fossil fuel imports and centralized power grids, enhancing national and local energy security.
4. Scalability and Flexibility
PV systems can be installed on rooftops, vehicles, farms, deserts, and satellites, from small homes to large utility-scale solar farms, adapting to various energy needs and locations.
5. Job Creation and Economic Development
The solar industry generates millions of jobs globally in manufacturing, installation, maintenance, and R&D, stimulating green economic growth.
6. Low Operating Costs
After initial installation, HAV and PV systems have minimal maintenance and zero fuel costs, making solar power increasingly cost-competitive with fossil fuels.
7. Enabling Decentralized and Off-Grid Power
Hydro Agrivoltaics and Photovoltaics provide clean power access in remote or under-served areas, enabling energy equity and supporting essential services like water pumping and telecommunication.
Help us develop climate resilient systems and infrastructure for our Energy Independent Smart Village Initiatives with Hydro Agrivoltaics.
Meet our Hydro-AgriVoltaics (HAV) Team
Bob Morton, Chief Operating Officer, and HAV Project Manager
Bob Has extensive solar industry experience including photovoltaic (PV) electricity generation and passive solar techniques. He is also knowledgeable in software, data acquisition systems, environmental consulting and non-profit fundraising. He has led grass roots projects for youth sports organizations including instructional leagues and building fields and facilities through cooperative community action. He holds a BS in Biology from Yale University and an MBA from Northeastern University. He is responsible for overall project management for the HAV project with particular focus on PV, passive solar and building science climate control. He will also lead the fundraising efforts for this project.
Dave Dumaresq, Chief Agricultural Advisor to HAV.
Dave is the Founder and Chief Agricultural Officer – Farmer Dave’s, Dracut, MA. Farmer Dave’s began with 15 leased acres in Dracut in 1997 and has since expanded to 95 acres of farmland across Dracut, Tewksbury and Westford. The Dracut “home farm” is protected by an Agricultural Preservation Restriction (APR) while featuring a year-round farmstand, kitchen and bakery and pick-your-own (PYO) strawberries, blueberries, and apples. Farmer Dave’s operates farmstands in Tewksbury and Westford, and manages 10 farmers markets, a 1,000-family Cooperative Share Agricultural (CSA) program and wholesale accounts.
Farmer Dave’s employs approximately 100 team members in growing a diverse selection of vegetables including tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, carrots, beets, radishes, potatoes, onions, garlic, scallions, and leafy greens, as well as fruits like apples, strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and melons.
Greenhouse operations have been a core pillar of year-round, sustainable farming expanding from 800 square feet in 1997 to over 2 acres of greenhouse space featuring advanced systems for climate and irrigation automation, root-zone heating, needle seeding, germination, graft healing chambers and indoor grow shipping containers. These investments allow the farm to extend the growing seasons, reduce disease and pest pressure, and support the local food system through all four seasons. Dave has implemented sustainable technologies: multiple solar arrays, geothermal heat pump systems, water reclamation cisterns, electric delivery vans, and EV charging stations powered by on-site solar.
Dave has volunteered in the Republic of Georgia and consulted with Deloitte’s Economic Prosperity Initiative to establish a winter greenhouse vegetable industry to reduce the country’s reliance on imports. Implementing geothermal heating via specially engineered systems using free-flowing hot water as a renewable heat source, enabled cost-effective greenhouse production suitable for organic growing. Many of Dave’s former interns and trainees operate the largest modern greenhouses in the Georgian Republic. That program’s success has led to producers exporting winter-grown vegetables to Russia.
In 2018, Dave co-founded the Partnership for Sustainable Agriculture (www.psagric.com), an agricultural development consulting firm. From 2021 to 2024, he worked on a USAID Feed the Future project in Tajikistan, making multiple trips and working remotely to design programs that supported greenhouse and field farmers in the Khatlon region.
Dave is an active member of several Massachusetts agricultural organizations and, in 2024, was appointed to the Massachusetts Food Policy Council where he collaborates with legislators, agency leaders and other appointees to advance a robust, sustainable food system for the state. Dave’s steadfast commitment to sustainability, greenhouse innovation, and food security provides leadership through adaptation, education, and advocacy to support New England’s farming future.
Douglas J. Leaffer, PhD, PE, HAV Senior Technical Advisor
Doug is MHRF’s Executive VP and Director of Engineering. Doug is a civil/environmental engineer with extensive project experience in water resources and environmental engineering. His career highlights in this field include design and development of large-capacity (3 MGD) municipal water wells, groundwater supply and contamination-treatment studies, inflow and infiltration (I/I) studies for wastewater treatment collection systems, and experience in storm-water flow monitoring and assessment.
He is licensed as a Professional Engineer (P.E., Civil) in Maine, in the discipline of environmental and water resources. Doug is additionally licensed as a Professional Geologist in several states and is a Fellow of the American Society of Civil Engineers (F.ASCE). For the building and construction trades, Doug is a staff consultant for the Green Building Research Institute (GBRI) in NYC, training engineers and scientists on the WELL Building Standard and LEED Green Associate certification. He is also a WELL Faculty and Advisor to the International Well Building Institute (WBI) in NYC.
He currently teaches undergraduate engineering at Northern Essex Community College and as an adjunct instructor at Merrimack College. In these roles he empowers and mentors STEM students to become more proficient in engineering design and analysis and has often included alternative energy concepts in his curriculum. With more than 12 years of post-secondary teaching experience, Doug has supported educational pathways from high school and vocational technical school to college for highly motivated, technically inclined students. Doug earned two graduate degrees (MS and PhD) in Civil and Environmental Engineering from Tufts University, Medford, MA and an undergraduate degree in geological sciences from the Univ. of Miami.
George Sahady, HAV Lead Economist
George is MHRF’s Chief Economist and Director of Veterans Affairs. George is a seasoned business leader, economist and U.S. Army veteran with many years of experience in economic development, private enterprise, public policy, and strategic operations. He proudly served for seven years in the U.S. Army, specializing in military and transportation intelligence. During his service Mr. Sahady developed advanced skills in logistics, operations planning, and strategic assessment that forms the backbone of his civilian leadership career in such roles as:
- State Economist at the Massachusetts Department of Commerce and Development and Manager of state Regional Development Agencies.
- Senior leadership with the Federal Economic Development Administration and the New England Regional Commission during the Reagan Term
- Appointed Economic Development Director for the New England Governors’ Conference, where he coordinated multi-state initiatives and advised on regional policy
Mr. Sahady later transitioned back to the private sector in insurance and economic consulting. As President of Greater Boston Capital Partners LLC, he led solar energy development projects and as Director and Project Manager at ADCI Freight Forwarding Corporation he launched international operations and negotiated global trade ventures. In addition to his business and civic leadership, Mr. Sahady is passionate about education. He has served as an adjunct professor in the master’s program at Lesley College and taught economics at Massachusetts Bay Community College. George holds a B.A. in Economics & Statistics from Boston University and an M.A. in Economics from Northeastern University.
Solar co-generation, also known as solar co-gen, combines photovoltaic (PV) technology with solar thermal technology to simultaneously produce electricity and useful heat from a single source, like solar energy. It utilizes the heat generated by PV panels, which is typically considered “waste heat,” to heat water or other applications, significantly increasing the efficiency of the system. Agrivoltaics is the practice of combining solar energy production with agricultural activities on the same land. This approach allows farmers to grow crops while generating electricity from solar panels.
Key aspects of solar co-generation
Solar co-generation, also known as solar co-generation, combines photovoltaic (PV) technology with solar thermal technology to simultaneously produce electricity and useful heat from a single source, like solar energy. It utilizes the heat generated by PV panels, which is typically considered “waste heat,” to heat water or other applications, significantly increasing the efficiency of the system.
ESG Considerations
- Increased Efficiency: By capturing and utilizing the heat from PV panels, solar co-generation systems can achieve higher efficiency rates (e.g., up to 75%) than traditional PV systems alone.
- Reduced Greenhouse Gas Emissions: By using waste heat for heating, solar co-generation systems can reduce reliance on fossil fuel-based heating systems, leading to lower greenhouse gas emissions.
- Photovoltaic-Thermal (PVT) Systems: Many solar co-generation systems are based on PVT technologies, where PV cells generate electricity and the heat produced is captured for use in heating or other thermal applications.
- Various Applications: Solar co-generation can be used for domestic hot water heating, space heating, industrial processes, and other applications where both electricity and heat are needed.
- Reduced Payback Time: Power Engineering International states that solar co generation systems often have shorter payback times compared to standalone PV or solar hot water systems, typically ranging between three and five years.
The concept of solar co-generation aligns well with the growing interest in renewable energy and energy efficiency in the region. Stoneham, like other areas, could benefit from the increased efficiency and reduced emissions offered by solar co-generation systems. In addition to increased efficiency and reduced emissions, PV allows for Sustainable, Year-Round Farming Through Innovation. Sustained year-round farming involves practices that allow crops to be grown continuously throughout the year, maximizing land use and productivity. This can be enhanced through innovative methods like agrivoltaics.
In summary: Solar co-generation offers a promising approach to renewable energy by combining the electricity generation of PV with the heat recovery of solar thermal, leading to higher efficiency, reduced emissions, and potentially faster payback times, and sustainable farming practices.
Help us develop climate resilient systems and infrastructure for our Energy Independent Smart Village Initiatives.
Research
[1] https://serdp-estcp.mil/projects/details/2fbaf241-422d-40cb-aef3-11e2ce5d082b/USA.gov
[2] https://www.powerengineeringint.com/gas-oil-fired/solar-cogeneration/
[3] https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666386420301399
[4] https://www.solarturbines.com/en_US/solutions/applications/pulp-and-paper.html
[5] https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0960148124003215
[6] https://www.studysmarter.co.uk/explanations/engineering/engineering-thermodynamics/cogeneration/
[7] https://pacificenergy.com.au/renewables/large-scale-solar-installations/
