Farmer and author Rebekah Pierce is championing “agri-energy,” an innovative approach that combines agriculture with renewable power generation. In her book Agri-Energy: Growing Power, Growing Food, she highlights how systems like agrivoltaics and solar grazing allow farmland to produce both food and clean energy. By rethinking land use, Pierce believes farmers can boost profitability while accelerating the transition away from fossil fuels.
On her upstate New York farm, Pierce began solar grazing in 2022, using sheep to maintain solar sites while improving soil health and reducing maintenance costs. The model not only strengthens farm revenues but also helps stabilize food systems, preserve open land, and support younger farmers entering the industry. With renewable installations designed to be reversible, agri-energy presents a flexible, community-focused solution that benefits both rural economies and the climate.
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