3 ms·

Corn and wheat would be a non-starter since you’d partially/entirely lose the scale of mechanically planting/tassle/harvesting. Maybe a specialized tractor cou

• tstrimple 4y ago
  I don't see what this would have to be the case. You could install the solar panels elevated with support structures wide enough for the harvesters to pass between. That being said, like others have mentioned these crops in particular do like more sun so other crops are likely more suitable. A setup like this (https://s4.reutersmedia.net/resources/r/?m=02&d=20211004&t=2&i=1576771072&w=780&fh=&fw=&ll=&pl=&sq=&r=LYNXMPEH930I9 https://s4.reutersmedia.net/resources/r/?m=02&d=20211004&t=2...) would be useful for many types of crops.
• ncmncm 4y ago
  In a wheat field, you would put the panels in vertical fencerows running north-south, as far apart as the junk you pull behind a tractor. You are not harvesting a very high percentage of insolation, but it doesn't matter because there is plenty of collection area in total. Wheat fields are very big. On wheat you may not want to collect too much of the light anyway, because yield might suffer. Corn is a little harder because it grows so tall. You would need high fencerows, or give up collecting much when the crop gets high. One merit of these systems is that they produce revenue in fallow years and year-round, while the crops only produce revenue in a spike once a year.