Phoenix teenager battles climate change and food scarcity with dual-use solar projects

Effects of a changing climate can be felt all across the United States, but some areas more acutely than others. In Phoenix, Arizona, extreme heat that worsens every year resulted in a month of triple-digit temperatures last summer. Research firm ClimateCheck estimates the city will experience about 47 days per year over 110°F by 2050.

“A growing population coupled with our rapidly changing climate is putting pressure on energy and food production around the globe,” said Sarah Bendok, founder of agrivoltaic nonprofit Growing Green, in an email. “In drylands like Arizona, drought and heat-stress force farms to use more water and energy, leading to a continuously deteriorating environment.”

Bendok is part of the next generation of changemakers paying attention and doing what they can to reverse course. She’s a sophomore at Phoenix Country Day School who started her own nonprofit when she was just 14 years old to bring solar-powered fresh foods to underserved communities in her hometown. She learned about agrivoltaics after volunteering at community gardens and researching food deserts — regions where residents have limited access to healthy food — and the need for more sustainable growing practices.

“Meeting with world leaders in agrivoltaics allowed me to learn more about the design of solar panel layouts and how different crops respond and grow under the shade of agrivoltaic systems,” Bendok said. “I have shared the design process and resources with community gardens and schools in Arizona who have expressed interest in replicating these projects. By August 2023, I built garden bed agrivoltaic projects in two different low-income community gardens and a school.”

For her latest project, Bendok partnered with Spaces of Opportunity, an urban farm in South Phoenix that enables low-income community members to rent plots and grow produce. Growing Green raised $17,000 through individual donations and sponsorships to construct a 4.8-kW agrivoltaic system there in January. Titan Solar Power installed the ground-mounted array at Spaces of Opportunity, and FOR Energy assisted with project management. The project is made up of Hyperion solar modules, a SolarEdge inverter and Unirac racking.

“The plants underneath the agrivoltaic system help cool down the solar panels, which increases their energy efficiency,” Bendok said. “We are helping community gardens in food deserts leverage their efforts in providing healthy food access to people who need it most by placing these systems on their land and bringing numerous benefits that will make growing crops more fruitful and efficient.”

This is only the beginning of Growing Green’s mission to bring solar and healthy food to underserved communities. Bendok plans to work for the next few years to educate Phoenix community members, students and farmers on solar and sustainability, as well as collect data on crops grown with agrivoltaics. Growing Green is also exploring partnerships related to composting and hydroponics, with plans to start new projects at schools and on farms.

Bendok is even setting her sights further than Phoenix — Growing Green is starting a chapter in Chicago and hopes to keep expanding across the country. She encourages other young people interested in solar and sustainability to check out the information available through the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, AgriSolar Clearinghouse and Fundusol; contact local solar companies and reach out to professors at their local universities.

“I would also encourage someone to volunteer in the community that they want to benefit and see what is truly needed before taking on a large solar project,” Bendok said. “Speaking to a diverse group of community members and making close connections with them will give insight into how to incorporate solar and what problems one may want to tackle.”