Farms can install vertical solar panels without reducing crop yields

Rapid reductions in the price of solar panels mean they are starting to appear in unexpected places, from balconies to motorway embankments. Now, researchers say they could play the role of hedgerows in farm fields, with double-facing solar panels generating power while acting as windbreaks for crops and livestock.

Farmers are already installing solar panels, often positioning tilted arrays over crops or allowing sheep to graze between panels. But such installations, known as agrovoltaics, can lead to excessive shading of…