Dual-Use Agricultural Land Strategy Development
Group Members: Adam Colwell and Rosie Stewart
FEWL Solutions (FEWL) is an early stage project development and investment firm with the mission to restore vibrancy to our critical life-sustaining systems across food, energy, water, and land (hence the acronym FEWL). FEWL works within food systems as their primary system boundary and maintains a focus on potential cross-sector impact opportunities. The company purpose is to build a competitive alternative to traditional agribusiness that is restorative, resilient, cross-sector, and community-based. During their Capstone project working with FEWL, the MENV team will be focusing specifically on the feasibility of agrivoltaic development in our community. Agrivoltaics is co-developing the same area of land for both solar photovoltaic power as well as for agriculture. The team has been asked to research, evaluate, and develop a regionally specific business model and business strategy for the development of dual-use agricultural land projects in the western region of the United States, particularly the region surrounding and including Colorado. This project will entail crafting financial models, conducting market analysis and weighing out the benefits of various business model options.