Climate change progression has created many challenges for our current agriculture system such as the degradation of arable land and more intense weather patterns. Rates of food insecurity and population growth are simultaneously increasing in urban areas, so reimagining food production and land management is vital for the future of agriculture. Rooftop agrivoltaics (RAV), growing crops under solar panels on a green roof, may be an effective way to produce clean energy and high yields of specialty crops in underutilized spaces. Chile peppers hold economic and cultural significance to the southwest region of the US. Previous studies show chile peppers perform better under 35% shade than in full sun due to heat stress reduction. This study focused on three cultivars of chile peppers: ‘Hatch’, ‘Mosco’, and an unnamed CSU experimental. Individuals of each cultivar were planted in four on the green roof (under opaque photovoltaics (PV), under bifacial PV, under 40% shade cloth, and full sun) and in one at-grade plot. The 40% shade cloth was used to simulate semi-transparent solar panels. Plants were evaluated by yield (fruit production), water efficiency (stomatal conductance), and plant growth index (average of two widths and height). Analysis shows yield was significantly higher in the full sun and shade cloth plots than all other plots, possibly due to the bifacial and opaque plots providing too much shade for optimized fruit production. Stomatal conductance was reduced in the shade cloth, bifacial, and opaque plots in the first part of the growing season and varied by cultivar and treatment at other times. Plant growth index was highest for plants grown in the shade cloth plot at most time points, but significance varied by cultivar across treatments. Growing chile peppers in RAV systems utilizing semi-transparent solar panels can reduce plant water use while producing more fruit than traditional at-grade growing. Sensory evaluation using a just-about-right (JAR) test and was conducted to assess consumer acceptance of sensory attributes of roasted ‘Hatch’ and ‘Mosco’ chile peppers grown in full sun on a green roof and at grade. A standard 9-point hedonic scale was used to assess overall liking. There was no significant difference in JAR ratings for each of the 7 attributes assessed and no significant difference in overall liking. Growing ‘Hatch’ and ‘Mosco’ chile peppers on green roofs does not significantly impact consumer acceptance. This provides urban farmers with more confidence to grow chile peppers on green roofs.
