Application of Photovoltaic Systems for Agriculture: A Study on the Relationship between Power Generation and Farming for the Improvement of Photovoltaic Applications in Agriculture

Jaiyoung Cho, Sung Min Park, A Reum Park, On Chan Lee, Geemoon Nam and In-Ho Ra
Additional contact information
Jaiyoung Cho: Wongwang Electric Power Co., 243 Haenamhwasan-ro, Haenam-gun 59046, Jeollanamdo, Korea
Sung Min Park: Department of Horticulture, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon 24341, Jeollanamdo, Korea
A Reum Park: Wongwang Electric Power Co., 243 Haenamhwasan-ro, Haenam-gun 59046, Jeollanamdo, Korea
On Chan Lee: SM Software, 1175, Seokhyeon-dong, Mokposi 58656, Jeollanamdo, Korea
Geemoon Nam: SM Software, 1175, Seokhyeon-dong, Mokposi 58656, Jeollanamdo, Korea
In-Ho Ra: Department of Information and Communication Technology, Kunsan National University, Gunsan 54150, Jeollabuk-do, Korea

Energies, 2020, vol. 13, issue 18, 1-18

Abstract: Agrivoltaic (agriculture–photovoltaic) or solar sharing has gained growing recognition as a promising means of integrating agriculture and solar-energy harvesting. Although this field offers great potential, data on the impact on crop growth and development are insufficient. As such, this study examines the impact of agriculture–photovoltaic farming on crops using energy information and communications technology (ICT). The researched crops were grapes, cultivated land was divided into six sections, photovoltaic panels were installed in three test areas, and not installed in the other three. A 1300 × 520 mm photovoltaic module was installed on a screen that was designed with a shading rate of 30%. In addition, to collect farming-cultivation-environment data and to analyze power generation, sensors for growing environments and wireless-communication devices were used. As a result, normal modules generated 25.2 MWh, bifacial modules generated 21.6 MWh, and transparent modules generated 25.7 MWh over a five-month period. We could not find a difference in grape growth according to the difference of each module. However, a slight slowing of grape growth was found in the experiment group compared to the control group. Nevertheless, the sugar content of the test area of the grape fruit in the harvest season was 17.6 Brix on average, and the sugar content of the control area was measured at 17.2 Brix. Grape sugar-content level was shown to be at almost the same level as that in the control group by delaying the harvest time by about 10 days. In conclusion, this study shows that it is possible to produce renewable energy without any meaningful negative impact on normal grape farming.

Keywords: solar sharing; agriculture–photovoltaic; integrating agriculture; solar-energy harvesting (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (15)

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