Hello Sun-lovers and Green Energy Enthusiasts,
Today, let’s delve into an exciting frontier that’s rapidly unfolding at the intersection of sustainable agriculture and renewable energy. If you’ve been intrigued by solar panels for your home, you’ll be thrilled by this innovation that goes beyond a typical residential solar array for home use. I’m talking about agrivoltaics — a novel concept that enables you to harness solar energy while simultaneously creating a conducive environment for crop production.
A research group, led by scientists from Purdue University, has recently developed a cutting-edge model that makes this intersection of fields possible. They’ve found a way to assess how the growth of crops, specifically corn, can coexist harmoniously alongside solar power production in agrivoltaic facilities. But how does it work, I hear you ask? By applying a spatiotemporal shadow distribution (SSD) model method, developers have crafted a means to optimize both crop yield and power outcome simultaneously.
Think of SSD as a helpful friend, allowing responsible solar companies to account for the shadows cast by PV (Photovoltaic) solar arrays on crop fields. Combining this data with proven, reliable National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) radiation data, they’ve managed to test, validate, and calibrate the results from their field measurements.
During the field experiments, PV panels were strategically set up in two arrangements and tested over a period between April to October 2020. The field measurements notably confirmed that the corn yield from the areas with PV was extremely close to areas without PV. This outcome is a testament to the novel model’s accuracy, and the incredible potential of agrivoltaic facilities.
Using this innovative model, the scientists also assessed the impact of factors such as tracker height, distance between arrays, panel angle, and the activation of the tracking system on yield. Several key findings were observed, such as the potential for increasing corn yield through anti-tracking around solar noon, and need for particular designs that lower the tracker height without obstructing plant machinery movement.
The groundbreaking research was presented comprehensively in a publication I recommend, “Optimizing corn agrivoltaic farming through farm-scale experimentation and modeling”. This remarkable study marks a fundamental turning point in our understanding of how we can harness solar energy without compromising agricultural productivity.
As an individual deeply dedicated to the solar industry, I eagerly anticipate the widespread application of such models. It’s encouraging to see brilliant minds at work, paving the way for producing clean energy while nurturing agricultural yields at the same time. It’s a testament to the limitless potential and compatibility of solar energy, the heart of our sustainable future.
Join me in exploring more about the solar industry in my upcoming blogs. Whether you want to compare solar companies or are just interested in viable solar panels for your home, I promise riveting discussions, insightful analysis, and an open forum to explore everything under the sun! Stay tuned, my fellow Solar Explorers!
Original Articlehttps://pv-magazine-usa.com/2024/08/13/agrivoltaics-for-corn/
