Sun+Soil=A False Dilemma
Why We Don't Have to Choose Between Clean Energy and Clean Food
When it comes to the topic of Clean Energy and Clean Ag, it feels like we're being forced to pick a side. While renewable energy is booming, with solar farms and wind turbines popping up everywhere, there's also a push for a food system that restores soil, fights climate change, and supports local farmers. Both are supposed to be part of the solution, yet they often seem to be in conflict. But do we really have to choose between powering our world and feeding ourselves sustainably?
The Land Grab: Solar Panels Vs. Farmland
One of the biggest tensions comes down to land. Solar and wind farms take up a lot of space, and too often, that means replacing farmland. If you're a farmer, leasing land for a solar project can be more financially secure than growing crops. But the shift from food to solar raises serious questions—if we cover our best farmland with solar panels, where will our food come from?
The good news? There’s a way to do both. It’s called agrivoltaics, where solar panels and crops share the same space. Studies show that it can boost land productivity, reduce water loss, and even help some crops grow better. The bad news? It’s not being adopted fast enough. Why? Because policies and incentives are still geared toward large-scale energy projects, not solutions that balance food production and clean power.
The Biofuels Mess
This same short-sighted approach shows up in the biofuels debate. We’re growing corn and soy to make fuel instead of food, all in the name of clean energy. But is it really clean if it’s depleting our soil, driving deforestation, and keeping industrial agriculture alive? Groups like the Union of Concerned Scientists warn that biofuels are pushing up food prices and making land degradation worse. Meanwhile, regenerative farmers are begging for policies that prioritize soil health, while policies keep prioritizing fuel over food, even when it’s clear we need a better balance.
Who’s Really in Charge?
If these issues seem like they favor big business over real sustainability, that’s because they do. Large corporations, utility companies, and industrial agriculture giants all have their own agendas. The government throws money at biofuels while also funding industrial farming. The renewable energy sector pushes solar and wind without thinking about where our food will come from. And the people most affected—farmers, small-scale producers, and communities—are left out of the conversation.
The Farm Bill is a prime example of this. It supports both biofuel production and large-scale farming but barely invests in regenerative agriculture. Renewable energy policies are written with massive solar and wind projects in mind, not small farmers trying to make both food and energy work on the same land. It’s no wonder we feel like we’re stuck choosing between two flawed options-we are made to think that we have to.
Why Not Both?
We don’t have to pick a side. We can build a future where clean energy and clean food go hand in hand—if we actually prioritize solutions that make sense. Here’s what that could look like:
Agrivoltaics everywhere – Let’s stop acting like solar panels and food production can’t coexist.
Smarter biofuels – Instead of growing food crops for fuel, we should be using waste materials, algae, and cover crops.
Better land-use policies – We need laws that protect farmland while also making room for renewable energy.
Listening to farmers and communities – The people working the land should have a say in how it’s used, not just corporations and policymakers.
At the end of the day, this isn’t a battle between clean energy and clean food. The real fight is against outdated policies and corporate interests that make it seem like we have to choose. It’s time to demand better solutions—because we deserve a world where we can eat well and power our homes sustainably.