Drier and hotter weather is making traditional farming across California more difficult.
As more farmers close up shop, the remaining dry plots of land in places like Imperial County are often used for a different kind of farming — generating solar power.
In recent years, more and more land in Imperial County has been converted to solar use, providing valuable energy for neighboring San Diego.
Within the Imperial Valley, however, not all are sold on the change.
For starters, energy generated within the county is almost exclusively used for non-local consumption.
On top of that, many in the region's agricultural sector view the emerging energy boom as being at odds with Imperial County's strong farming identity.
Sammy Roth, a reporter for the Los Angeles Times, joined Midday Edition on Tuesday with the latest from his ongoing series “Repowering the West.”
