Tuesday, April 17, 2018
4 p.m. to 6 p.m.
 

Since 2013, five large grid-tied, ground-mounted solar electric (photovoltaic) arrays have been installed on agricultural lands operated by Oregon State University as part of “Solar by Degrees,” a large-scale photovoltaic power program coordinated by the Oregon University System.  OSU was the first to install and have operational solar arrays.

The five arrays cover more than twelve acres combined. Three are in Corvallis and two are at OSU properties elsewhere in the state. The 35th Street site is the largest, at around six acres and 1,435 kilowatts. It can be found west of the Corvallis campus on the Campus Way bike path. 

Here, you can also learn about Agri-voltaics.  These are systems where PV solar panels and agricultural production are co-located for mutual benefit.  PV panels harvest excess solar radiation, reduce plant stress and increase agricultural productivity.  Plant growth cools the adjacent PV panels, increases panel efficiency and power productivity.  Active research is underway to investigate the changes in plant water use efficiency, plant nutrient content and greenhouse gas sequestration rates by the soils and plants within the agri-voltaic system.

Tours will leave every 20 minutes; please make sure to register to secure your space. You'll learn how solar works and about exciting new projects to get even more energy from the sun.

For event questions or accommodation requests, please contact Shelly Signs, (541)737-0724 or shelly.signs@oregonstate.edu. 

 

Chad Higgins founded the Nexus of Energy, Water and Agriculture Laboratory (NEWAG Lab) to study the physical, operational and geospatial tradeoffs in the energy, water food nexus in 2012 just after he joined the faculty at Oregon State University.  He holds degrees in Biological Engineering, Mechanical Engineering and Environmental Engineering, and has broad research interests that cover topics from turbulence to precision agriculture to snow science. 

John Selker's research includes development of instrumentation (passive capillary sampling devices for vadose-zone sampling, tensiometers and tension infiltrometers for site characterization, and use of LUX light-emitting microbes for continuous in-situ monitoring of microbial colonization and movement in unsaturated media, fiber optics for environmental monitoring using temperature, etc.), the characterization of vadose zone and hyporheic processes (capillary barriers, nutrient and pesticide loss from agricultural fields, groundwater/surface water interactions), and analytical/numerical representations of hydrological processes (Boussinesq equation, HYDRUS simulations, etc).

Brandon Trelstad helped create and has filled this position since November 2005.  Previously, he worked for about four years in OSU’s Government Relations office, during which he interned with Governor Kitzhaber's office.  His primary duties include managing communication about sustainability efforts, identifying and obtaining funding for conservation and efficiency projects, supporting student and academic sustainability efforts, setting OSU's strategic direction toward sustainability and tracking and reporting on institutional progress toward sustainability. Brandon chairs OSU's Transportation Committee and Sustainability Advisory Council, and serves on several other committees as well.

In 2010, Brandon was recognized by 1000 Friends of Oregon as one of the state's 35 Innovators Under 35.  Read more in an April 2011 article about Brandon and the Sustainability Office.