Agrimation Unplugged

Eric Marquette

Hey everyone, welcome back to PACES Presentation. I’m Eric Marquette, and I’m here with my co-host, Jr Higglebottom. Today’s episode is called Agrimation Unplugged, and honestly, I’m pretty excited about this one. We’re talking about the future of farming, energy, and, well, how those two worlds are colliding in some really wild ways.

Jr higglebottom

Yeah, hey folks. I gotta say, when I first heard the word “agrimation,” I thought it was, like, a new punk band or something. But it’s actually this whole movement—fusing agriculture and energy, right? And June 24th, 2025, that’s supposed to be a big date for this shift. It’s not just about growing food anymore, it’s about growing food and power at the same time.

Eric Marquette

Exactly. And a lot of that momentum comes from people like Josh Bennett. He started out as a wind tech, then moved into solar, and now he’s leading the charge on AgriPV—basically, putting solar panels on farmland in a way that actually helps the land and the farmers. It’s not just about slapping panels down and calling it a day.

Jr higglebottom

Yeah, and the stakes are high. I mean, power demand in the U.S. is supposed to go up by, what, 25% by 2030? That’s wild. And it’s not just because of, like, more people plugging in their phones. It’s data centers, electric vehicles, AI—stuff that eats up a ton of juice. But at the same time, we’re losing farmland. Like, New York lost almost 2,800 farms in just five years. That’s a lot of land gone.

Eric Marquette

And the farmers themselves are getting older. The average age is, what, 58 and climbing? Plus, a lot of them are working second jobs just to keep things afloat. It’s a tough gig, and if we don’t figure out how to make farming more sustainable—and, honestly, more appealing for the next generation—we’re in trouble.

Jr higglebottom

Yeah, and it’s not just about the economics. There’s a mental health side to this too. More stress, less access to care, and just a lot of uncertainty. So, this whole agrimation thing, it’s not just a tech fix. It’s about rethinking how we use land, how we support farmers, and how we keep rural communities alive.

Eric Marquette

So let’s talk about what’s actually working out there. There are some real-world examples that are pretty inspiring. Like, Grafton Solar in Massachusetts—they’re running cattle under solar panels, and it’s actually reducing heat stress for the animals. They’re seeing better grazing, healthier livestock, and, get this, less money spent on mowing and maintenance.

Jr higglebottom

Yeah, and Silvies Valley Ranch in Oregon, they’re doing cattle and sheep. The panels help keep the forage productive, even when it’s hot and dry. And then there’s Brooklyn Grange in New York City—chickens, bees, solar panels, all on a rooftop. It’s like, the ultimate urban farm mashup.

Eric Marquette

And it’s not just about animals. There are crop experiments too. The University of Arizona found that tomatoes grown under solar panels used 65% less water and actually doubled their yield. Jalapeños tripled in fruit weight. That’s not a typo—tripled. And in France, wine grapes under panels saw up to 60% higher yields and needed way less water. That’s a big deal for places dealing with drought.

Jr higglebottom

Yeah, and, you know, this stuff hits home for me. My family had a tiny farm when I was a kid—just a few acres, nothing fancy. I remember summers where we’d lose half the crop to drought, and my dad would be out there, just, like, staring at the sky, hoping for rain. If we’d had something like this—shade from panels, less water needed, maybe a second income from energy—I mean, it could’ve changed everything. It’s wild to think about.

Eric Marquette

That’s the thing, right? It’s not just about the tech. It’s about giving farmers more options, more resilience. And it’s not just for big operations. Even small farms can benefit if the policies and incentives are there.

Jr higglebottom

Totally. And it’s not just crops and cows. There’s pollinator habitats, too. Some projects are planting native flowers under the panels, which brings in bees and butterflies, helps the soil, and just makes the whole system healthier. It’s like, the more you look at it, the more layers there are.

Eric Marquette

Alright, so let’s get into some of the really innovative stuff. We’re talking phytoremediation—using plants to clean up contaminated soil while generating solar power. It’s like, you get renewable energy and you’re literally healing the land at the same time. That’s pretty sci-fi, but it’s happening.

Jr higglebottom

Yeah, and then there’s aquavoltaics. That’s solar panels over fish ponds or aquaculture systems. The shade from the panels can boost fish harvests by up to 50%, depending on the species. And then you’ve got solar-covered canals—putting panels over water channels to cut evaporation by, like, 80%. That’s huge for places losing millions of gallons a year just to the sun.

Eric Marquette

And the economics are starting to make sense, too. Farmers can get dual incomes—one from crops or livestock, one from energy. In Louisiana, they’ve got cattle grazing on utility-scale solar sites, and it’s working. The cattle are healthy, the panels aren’t getting damaged, and the farmers are saving money on vegetation management. Plus, there’s new markets for local food, and the community gets more stable revenue.

Jr higglebottom

But, you know, it’s not all sunshine and roses. There are still a lot of challenges—bad site management, poor planning, even legal trouble when things go wrong. Like, there’ve been some big fines for stormwater violations and pollution from solar projects that didn’t do it right. So, it’s gotta be done carefully, with real collaboration between developers, farmers, and local governments.

Eric Marquette

That’s where policy comes in. Municipalities can help by updating zoning laws, creating ag protection zones, and offering tax credits for dual-use projects. Fast-track permitting for agrivoltaics, local grants for fencing or irrigation, and just making it easier for farmers to get involved. There are already examples—like Yolo County in California and Montgomery, New York—where the rules are set up to encourage this kind of thing.

Jr higglebottom

Yeah, and it’s not just about the rules. It’s about mindset. Treating the land like a long-term asset, not just a construction site. Planning for soil health, water management, and making sure the community is on board. If we get that right, we can have farms that feed us, power our homes, and keep rural America alive. I mean, that’s the dream, right?

Eric Marquette

Absolutely. And we’re just scratching the surface here. There’s a lot more to dig into—more tech, more policy, more stories from the field. But I think that’s a good place to wrap for today. Jr, always a pleasure talking with you, man.

Jr higglebottom

Yeah, you too, Eric. Thanks for hanging out with us, folks. We’ll be back with more on how ag and energy are changing the world—one field at a time. Take care, everybody.

Eric Marquette

See you next time on PACES Presentation. Bye for now!