Lubbock, TX (November 2019)

Group NIRE in partnership with Michigan Technological University and Sandia National Laboratories has been awarded the DOE – SETO Small Innovative Projects in Solar (SIPS).

Michigan Technological University’s proposal titled “The Energizer Bunny: Dual-Use Photovoltaic and Pasture-Raised Rabbit Farms” has been granted funds by the Solar Energy Technologies Office (SETO). SETO awards funds to research projects in hopes to improve several aspects of solar technologies on the national grid.

The summary included as part of the Energizer Bunny grant states, “This project will evaluate the technical, economic, environmental, and social feasibility of raising rabbits on land with a photovoltaic solar energy system. Solar installations provide shade and protection from aerial predators, which may lead to increased reproduction and higher profits. The team will produce a free, publicly accessible comprehensive manual that includes data about solar with rabbit farms and their effects on economics, market size, and operations.”

Group NIRE is excited to expand their testing capabilities to this new field of study. The testing is set to kick off in early 2020.