Agrivoltaics: Combination of solar panels and agriculture

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What is agrivoltaics?

How many types of agrivoltaics?

What are the benefit of agrivoltaics?

The successful implementations of agrivoltaics

Disadvantages of agrivoltaics?

Agrivoltaics is a breakthrough in sustainable practises because it mixes how to make energy and how farm. new approach, which combines solar photovoltaic (PV) technology and traditional farming in a way that works well, could help farmers be more smart and slow down climate change. using land for both energy and farming, agrivoltaics gives us hope for a healthier, more stable future.

We'll look at the different kinds of agrivoltaics, their perks, and some creative ways to use them. project that changes things, agrivoltaics has obstacles that must be thought about. how this unique method can change the way we farm and use energy by looking at the pros and cons.

Agrovoltaics is a fast-growing and very promising idea that involves using the same land for solar photovoltaics (PV) and farming. This lets two important businesses work together. Different kinds of agrovoltaics have already been made all over the world, and in the past few years, a lot of new ideas have come up that will be important parts of the energy and climate shift.

There are three main types of agrivoltaics: solar panels that are set over crops, solar panels that are raised above crops, and solar greenhouses. Scientists have also made other types that are more complicated, like combined systems and dynamic agrivoltaics. All of these types have different features that are used to get the most energy out of the sun for both the panels and the plants. In agrivoltaic systems, the tilt angle of the solar cells is the most important thing to change. Other things to think about when deciding where to put an agrivoltaic system are the crops picked, the panel heights, the amount of sunlight in the area, and the local temperature.

1. Fixed solar panels over crops

Most traditional agrovoltaic systems are made up of solar panels that are permanently set up on or between food fields. Changes to the density or tilt of the solar cells can make the system work better.

The most common way to use agrovoltaics for big projects (>5 MW) is to install solar panels that stay in place. This type of agrovoltaic makes animals happier by making it easy for them to find shade. It also makes it possible to grow permanent plants and grasses between and under the solar panels, which animals can eat.

Solar tracking structures make farming and energy systems more stable by letting you change how much light and shade crops get. It also allows crops to be protected from bad weather, which helps crops grow.

2.solar panels on a higher level

In this agrovoltaic application, the solar screens are placed higher than is usual. This adds to the height above the ground, which is usually between 2.5m and 5m, based on the goals and needs of the project. This makes it possible to get better crop yields in places like orchards and vines.

There may be enough space between the solar panels for light to reach the crops and plants, which would help them grow in a healthy way. Also, based on the needs of the project, these panels can be raised or lowered, allowing harvesting equipment, people, and other things to pass through.

3.solar greenhouses

In recent years, it has become popular to build greenhouses that run on solar energy alone. It involves putting photovoltaic panels on the roof of the greenhouse. These panels produce clean energy that can be fed back into the grid, stored, or used by the greenhouse itself for things like lighting, watering, and other needs that don't hurt production.

4. Integrated systems

Saudi Arabian scientists have made a solar-powered gadget that uses a new type of hydrogel to collect water from the air and grow spinach. Researchers used the heat that was made when solar panels made energy to force water out of the hydrogel. In the metal cylinder below, the water vapour condenses. Hydrogel, on the other hand, can increase the performance of solar photovoltaic systems by up to 9%. It does this by absorbing heat and lowering the temperature of the panels.

This cutting-edge design is a cheap, long-term way to make sure that food and water sources in dry areas are safe.

5. Dynamic agrivoltaic

The first and most basic dynamic system was made in Japan. It was made of weak panels that were put on thin pipes and stood on stands that didn't have concrete feet. The panels are easy to take off and are light enough that the farmer can move or change them by hand as the seasons change and he works the land. So that the panels can stand up to wind better, there is a lot of space between them.

Some newer types of agrivoltaic systems use a tracking system to make sure that the panels are always in the best place. For example, the Swiss company Insolight is making static solar cells that are translucent and have a tracking system built right in. The module focuses sunlight onto solar cells and has a dynamic light transfer system that can be changed to fit the needs of farming.

1. Get the most out of the sun and make solar power work better.
A new study found that farmland, grassland, and wetland all have a lot of promise for solar PV. The study also showed that solar electricity could meet the world's energy needs with as little as 1% of farmland being turned into Agrivoltaics. But too much heat can hurt the output and performance of solar farms in a big way. Planting veggies right under PV panels can keep their surfaces from getting too hot and keep them working at their best. Oregon State University has shown that putting crops right under solar panels can increase the amount of power made by 10%.

2. Make land more productive
With the rise of photovoltaic solar energy around the world, it is becoming more and more important for farms to be able to make more money by growing crops and making clean energy. The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) says that the world's photovoltaic (PV) power will grow by 19% from 2020 to 2021, reaching a total of 843,086 MW.

3.Reduce evaporation and increase soil moisture for better crop growth

Solar panels can save up to 29% on watering costs because they block the sun. Soil wetness goes up, and plants get all the water they need.

4. Making it less likely that heat and harsh weather will hurt crops
When a crop gets so much light that it reaches the light saturation point, it is no longer in its best condition. Extreme heat and cold both cause plants to need more water, which can hurt or slow their growth. Agricultural photovoltaic systems (agrivoltaics) can help plants deal with heat stress and other problems caused by bad weather by moving the solar panels so that as much light as possible shines on the plants.

5. Keeping ecosystems alive
By making it illegal to use herbicides, keep beehives, and raise animals on the land's edge, and by putting up fences around the land's vegetation, agrivoltaics helps promote sustainable development and protect and improve wildlife and ecosystems.

1.BayWa’s Agri-PV project in the Netherlands

BayWa r.e. built one of its first industrial Agri-PV sites in the Dutch town of Babberich. BayWa r.e. has worked on pilot Agri-PV projects in the Netherlands and Germany, which have helped the field learn more. In these studies, the main things that were looked at were wheat, potatoes, celery, blueberries, red currants, raspberries, strawberries, and blackberries.

On hot days, the statistics showed that the temperature under the panels was two to five degrees cooler than with regular gardening methods. There will be less heat stress, and the land won't lose as much water through evaporation. As a plus, heat was kept in even better at night than under the plastic covers that farmers use now to keep berries warm. This could mean that farmers will use less plastic in the future.

2.Agrivoltaics in French Viticulture by Sun'Agri

The plant was put up in Piolenc, in the Hérault wine area, as part of a programme to test how well agrivoltaics work in different farming settings. The flexible agrivoltaic system shaded 600 square metres of grapes that were planted in the experimental scheme.

Because of this lower evaporation, the plants that were protected by PV needed 12–34% less water. The agrivoltaic setting also made the grape smell better, which led to a 13% rise in red pigments called anthocyanins and a 9–14% rise in acidity.

1.Agrivoltaics systems are hard to set up and take a lot of money and time to manage.
Most farmers don't know enough about technology to use agrivoltaics. If something breaks that they can't fix, they might need to call in experts. Because of this, many people may not be able to afford to hire a pro. Solar system maintenance is an extra cost that farmers have to think about.

2. some farmland must be sacrificed in order to make room for agrivoltaic systems.

Since agrivoltaics systems also need a certain amount of space, this can be a problem when it comes to growing farmland. The loss of fields will be the biggest problem for the development of agrivoltaics systems. Agrivoltaics systems will always need some farms, no matter what kind of crops, solar panels, etc. are used.

3. Some crops may not grow as well if they are in the shade from agrivoltaics.
Not every plant does well in the shade. Shade is very bad for corn and wheat, which are the most common crops. Lettuce, spinach, and peppers can grow in the shade, but they aren't enough to feed a lot of people. Because of this, it is important to find a good balance between making power and growing crops.

In the exciting world of agrivoltaics, technology and nature come together in a way that works well, leading to a more sustainable future. As we figure out how solar energy and farmland work together, let's focus on the promise it holds for stronger ecosystems, more productive farms, and a greener world. With careful thought and new ideas, agrivoltaics could help us get to a place where energy and farmland can live together in harmony.

When technology and nature work together in agrivoltaics, the future looks bright. Maysun Solar was one of the first companies to use solar energy. Since 2008, the half-cut, MBB, IBC, and Shingled panel modules made by Maysun Solar have been the best in the business. Solar panels that are all black, have a black frame, are silver, or are glass-to-glass work well and look good on buildings. Maysun Solar has warehouses, offices, and relationships with installers all over the world. Maysun Solar is your source for photovoltaics.

Reference:

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6. Agrivoltaics, the advantages of combining renewables and agriculture 
7. 5 Major Agrivoltaics Disadvantages by Olivia Bolt，AGRICULTURE 
8. Benefits of Agrivoltaics and 5 real-life examples of successful implementations by Laura Rodríguez
9. Agrivoltaics, the advantages of combining renewables and agriculture by Vector Renewables