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How Solar Infrastructure Supports Agriculture in a Hotter, Drier Climate

Byron Kominek, founder of Jack's Solar Garden, describes his family's evolution from a hay farm to a solar farm while sharing lessons learned about how microclimates of solar panels can improve conditions for vegetation, livestock, and agricultural labor if built right.

ABOUT OUR SPEAKER:
Byron Kominek is the owner and manager of Jack's Solar Garden and the Executive Director of the Colorado Agrivoltaic Learning Center in Longmont, Colorado. He is a former US diplomat with the US Agency for International Development, having served in Zambia and Mozambique to enhance the natural resource management of forests and wildlife.

Byron serves as Boulder County Planning Commissioner and a board member of Visit Longmont. His educational background consists of a BSc in Biomedical Engineering and an MSc in Environmental Engineering. Byron speaks French and Portuguese, raises sheep and waterfowl, grows hundreds of berry bushes, and volunteers for a local Boy Scout troop.

The program was hosted by Greg Winchell, MDCRES Program Manager.

A question and answer session followed the presentation.

TIMELINE:

0:00 Introduction and announcements - Greg Winchell
2:41 Presentation - Byron Kominek
53:59 Q&A

This program was organized by the Metro Denver chapter of the Colorado Renewable Energy Society and was recorded at their July 17, 2025, meeting. Contact us at [email protected] or visit us online at https://www.cres-energy.org/.

CREDITS:

Video production by Brian Beinlich, https://brianbeinlich.com.
Intro/outro music: “Planetary Paths” by Joel Cummins and Andy Farag via the YouTube Audio Library.

ABOUT CRES:

For more than 25 years, the Colorado Renewable Energy Society (CRES) and its local chapters have provided education, policy advocacy, and community engagement to accelerate Colorado toward a 100% renewable energy future. CRES is a statewide, non-partisan, non-profit, 501(c)3 membership organization that drives environmental, social, and economic benefits for our communities by promoting all forms of renewable energy, energy efficiency, storage, high-performance buildings, and other low- or zero-carbon solutions.

CRES features several local monthly speaker series throughout the state, provides speakers, experts, and workshops, and weighs in on state energy policy.

Learn more about CRES, membership, and how you can sign up to become a speaker or volunteer by visiting our website at https://cres-energy.org.