U. brings vertical solar panels to Cook campus to raise farm productivity, revenues

The University recently selected its supplier for vertical solar panels on Cook campus as part of a project in the Rutgers Agrivoltaics Program, according to a press release.

Rutgers chose Sunzaun, which specializes in a vertical design to promote ease of adjustment should the panel's size need to be changed, according to an article by pv magazine.

This shape is also more productive for livestock interaction, crop growth and protection against the elements, the release read.

The project's results are intended to aid the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities' Dual-Use Solar Energy Pilot Program, which was approved by the Board in May 2023.

It has overarching goals of increasing farm revenues, as the dual-use project permits farms to continue operations at the same time as solar panel installation, according to a proposal from a November 2023 stakeholder meeting.

"We believe that research and outreach involving agrivoltaics is urgently needed given the ambitious plans for solar energy in (New Jersey), the potential loss of (prime) farmland when it is covered with solar panels and the state's commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions," a guide from the Rutgers Agrivoltaics Program read.