Solar panels work better with crops!

[Linda Poole]

I knew the reverse was true, but in Anthropocene author Emma Bryce shares an interesting discovery:

It’s an ironic fact that sun-harvesting solar panels function better when they’re not too hot. But luckily researchers have now discovered precisely how to cool them down. Building solar panels at a specific height above crops can reduce surface temperatures by up to 10 °C, compared to traditional panels constructed over bare ground, they’ve found.

The results, published in the journal Applied Energy, are the latest contribution to a growing body of research on agrivoltaics: a farming method that aims to maximize land use by pairing solar panels with cropland, thus minimizing competition between energy production and food. We already know that agrivoltaics can increase land-use efficiency, produce plenty of electricity on minimal land, and may also improve crop yields by shielding plants from heat and wind.

But how to maximize this relationship for the hard-working solar panels is something that we knew less about—until this research.

See the full article here.

 

[WilliamK]

Linda, I read Emma's research and the research did not compare Solar Vertical fences for farmers. The Vertical solar fence, https://www.et-sun.com/About/ , cost less in the first place to install, runs even cooler, has no moving parts, and doesn't have to be cleaned as it is vertical all the time, has better soil moisture retention as it controls surface wind speeds better. When you have 30 to 54 foot wide equipment those posts are too close for farm sprayers and the field cultivators these days, and it would not make it with tornado's and hurricanes. With solar vertical fences, you are not limited on the type of crops grown commercially. Considering that farmers that irrigate would not add those structures to a 160 acre field I will have to talk to Emma about the difference.

 

[amitbajpayee]

Solar panels and solar crops, or agrivoltaics (also known as agrophotovoltaics), can work together in a complementary and sustainable manner.
Integrating solar panels with agricultural practices through agrivoltaics offers a sustainable and innovative way to utilize land efficiently. By providing benefits such as improved crop yields, economic advantages, and environmental sustainability, this approach can support both energy generation and agricultural productivity. Proper planning, design, and maintenance are key to successfully implementing a solar-crop system.