The Johnson Farm, a family operation passed down through several generations, sprawls out over autumnal red, yellow, and orange hills in Chester, New York. A 45-minute drive from Columbia University’s Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory campus, it is a place of crops, cows, barns, and tractors. And now it is also a place of sophisticated clean-energy technology. Just past the cowshed and its 11 lowing inhabitants, a sleek, gleaming assemblage of photovoltaic panels covers an open field, stretching out in all its silicon glory.
This farm, along with the Cosh Farm in Minisink, New York, were commissioned by Lamont in an effort to slash the campus’ energy expenditures, which total more than $1 million per year. The project will also demonstrate that the esteemed climate research institute can “walk its talk” and reduce its carbon footprint with an environmentally responsible investment.
Read more on the Earth Institute Blog
