It is clear that the world already needs more energy solar . It's renewable, it's clean, it's more affordable than fossil fuels and is creating solid employment from a very fast way.
There are many lines of research on how we can improve the efficiency and productivity of panels solar panels , some less accurate and other studies that They are throwing quite positive data. Today we talk about the « agrivoltaics «, which is a term in English that coined the analysis of agriculture in combination with the photovoltaic panels ( Agrivoltaics = agriculture + photovoltaic ).
Although it seems crazy to combine crops with panels solar, the latest studies suggest that farms Sunflowers pair surprisingly well with tomatoes, potatoes, peppers, etc . They not only share land and light, but also help each other to function in a more efficient way.
First, we must understand that farmers carry centuries and centuries cultivating in the best places, that is, They have land with easy access and plenty of natural light (Abundant solar radiation).
In a few words…»The most productive places on Earth for solar energy are farmland', and it's not that Let's say so, confirms a study by the University Oregon State.
Also, the conclusion of the report is quite interesting... « if less than 1% of the agricultural land was converted in solar panels, it would be enough to meet the demand electric power world «.
Second, it's smart to balance the production of food and energy. If we add to this, that unlike fossil fuels, we can produce solar energy in land where food is produced without having to worry because of pollution…things are starting to come together! (Of interest solar windows article)
And what about farmers, this is practical for your daily work, to collect and use the products agricultural? Although it will undoubtedly not be the same, it will have studied three main ways of raising the panels with the intention that the tractors can access without problems and the farmer work better…
But don't worry, there's still more. It's time to see what profits we get with this symbiosis…
Although agricultural products vary widely depending on the crops, the local climate itself and the specific configuration of solar panels, yes there is a series of similarities and windows when combining Agriculture + Photovoltaic.
Of interest, also see the document on « Simulation of shared use of agricultural land by solar panels photovoltaics and cultivation » from this document.
The basic idea of Agrophotovoltaics was dates back – at least – to 1981, when two German scientists proposed a new type of photovoltaic power plant that allows for additional agricultural use. Since then, it has studied and evolved a lot.
Last year, from Germany, in the population of Heggelbach. A structure was installed five meters high in an agricultural field. The yields of three of the four crops under the agrophotovoltaic system were superior to the traditional performance. The efficiency of the use of land increased by 186% per hectare with the system agrophotovoltaic as we read here.
From Nature magazine «Agrophotovoltaics provide mutual benefits through the nexus between food, energy and water in dry lands. The study focused on plants chiltepin pepper (kind of chilies), jalapeño and tomato cherry in an area of Arizona.
To give an example of the previous case, they had a double the production of tomatoes or for jalapeños, produced a similar amount in both the system agrophotovoltaic than in the traditional plot, but they did, with a loss of less than 65% of water.
Agrivoltaics may not be a quick fix for that farmers improve their profits, but, Possibly, it is a good way to diversify your income and more if we see the news that daily hit the industry.
And we remember of interest the article about what we will do with all solar panels at the end of their life.
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