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Spring
2017
Grains
West
22
Feature
BY TYLER DIFLEY • IMAGES COURTESY OF SKYFIRE ENERGY AND KENTON ZIEGLER
S THE WORLD HAS STARTED
to grapple with the short- and
long-term consequences of
burning fossil fuels, renewable energy
sources have become all the rage. This
has spurred researchers all around the
world to try to find the next big energy
breakthrough that will power human
civilization for generations to come.
Among these renewables, one in
particular has hogged the spotlight
in recent months: solar. As Tesla
Motors CEO Elon Musk is revealing his
company’s innovative solar roof tiles and
the world’s first solar road is opening
in France, the humble solar panel is
also slowly catching on with farmers
right here in Alberta. Crops like wheat,
barley, canola and peas harness the
energy of the sun to fuel their growth,
and farmers can now do the same—
with a little help from some high-tech
equipment.
Surprisingly, when you combine this
cutting-edge technology with one of
the oldest professions on the planet,
you get a perfect match. Farmers
have long been early adopters of new
technology, always looking for the latest
innovation that can give their operation
A
Alberta farmers are harvestingmore than just crops