All about us
Helping Farmers, Reducing Emissions, Going Solar
Phoebus is a combination of solar, manufacturing, agriculture, and real estate expertise. Our founders, Timothy Gaarn and Andrew Kennedy, notice the tremendous revenue advantage of solar and the ability to leverage that revenue with traditional farming to help provide higher profits to farmers. This resulted in the patent pending novel combination of utility scale solar equipment with traditional farming equipment. Phoebus is built to protect food production while moving the energy grid towards renewables.
How it works
Utility Scale Agrivoltaics
Agrivoltaics is the concept of placing solar above actively worked agricultural land. This is done by decreasing the density of solar, allowing light diffusion to allow continued crop growth. Overall, the economic productivity of the land increases by 70-90%, creating profits for the farmers!
The system is designed to allow traditional agricultural equipment, tractors, and growing methods to continue to be used. Phoebus prides itself on working with the farmer and with the land to ensure the best possible combination of solar and farming.
Our team
Our team and advisors have decades of combined experience in energy asset management and commercial development, learn more about them here.
Andrew Kennedy
Co-Founder
An experienced developer of solar energy assets in the Northeast United States, with 10-years’ experience in the renewable energy development industry. His unique personal background provided the basis for the Agrivoltaic system. Growing up in an agricultural community, Andrew saw first hand the challenges of the farmer, and through Agrivoltaics has found a way to use his renewable expertise to give back and help the agricultural community.
Timothy Gaarn
Co-Founder
An experienced real estate developer and operational manager. Tim has 25-years’ experience working with large, challenging real estate developments. Tim’s managerial expertise was called upon in 2017 after Hurricane Maria, where he received and completed a power restoration contract in Puerto Rico. His ability to improvise rapid solutions to challenging situations allows his projects to have a higher success rate.
FAQ
Due to strong investor interest and the novelty of agrivoltaics, we've received a lot of questions. Here are a few that we cover the most often.
Where does the electrical wiring go? Will I possibly till it up?
All the above ground electrical wiring is secured to the solar system. The larger electrical equipment is run underground at a significant depth below the access roads of the solar. This allows a physical marker in the access road to show where the underground wiring is located, providing protection to the farmer.
What crops can grow below the panels?
Scientific studies have shown that the proper solar design allows even the most shade intolerant crops to grow in an Agrivoltaic solution. One study from the University of Kyoto showed that even corn had only a 4% yield reduction when grown with Agrivoltaics.
How does the process work?
Phoebus works with the farmer and utility to determine the best possible system design for the land. Phoebus then handles all permitting to allow for the construction of the system. The farmer continues to work the land until construction approval has been obtained. One or two seasons of farming is lost for the construction of the system, depending on how large the solar system is and a cover crop is grown while we build. The system is commissioned and starts generating electricity with traditional farming returning to the site!
Our business advisors
Phoebus is a team for delivery, not an individual company. Below are our strategic advisors:
Lord
Established in Puerto Rico in 1959, as a subsidiary of Lord Electric Company, then headquartered in Boston, MA, Lord began operating as an Electrical Contractor island-wide and later at other nearby Caribbean islands.
CES
Consulting Engineer Services (CES) is a multi-disciplined civil engineering company serving NJ and the southeastern Pennsylvania region. With over a half century of experience, CES has successfully completed and provided services on over 5,000 projects.
Bird Group LLC
For years, the name Bird has been linked to many of Puerto Rico’s most high-profile construction projects. From large office complexes, industrial plants, hotels, hospitals and special care centers, to airport terminals, penal facilities, commercial centers and luxury condominiums, Bird has become synonymous with quality, excellence and responsibility.
Hillmann Consulting
Hillman has been providing nationwide Environmental Health & Safety, Due Diligence & Remediation Management, and Construction Services since 1985.
Baker Tilly US, LLP
Baker Tilly is a top ten advisory, tax and assurance firm dedicated to building long-lasting relationships with our clients, our communities and each other.
BR&A
Benítez Ramos & Associates - BR&A - is an engineering firm servicing Puerto Rico, US and the Caribbean. With over 11 years of experience and continuous consulting practice, the firm provides a variety of services to the manufacturing, construction and services industry.
Florio Law
Florio Perrucci Steinhardt Cappelli Tipton & Taylor LLC is recognized as one of the fastest-growing law firms in the Tri-State area. For more than 20 years their team of professionals has been successfully providing public and private sector clients with legal strategy, government advocacy, and business solutions.
