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Raising a bumper crop of electrons?
Until now, acreage was designated for either photovoltaics or photosynthesis, that is, to generate electricity or grow crops. An agrophotovoltaics (APV) pilot project near Lake Constance, however, has now demonstrated that both uses are compatible. Dual use of land is resource efficient, reduces competition for land and additionally opens up a new source of income for farmers. For one year, the largest APV system in Germany is being tested on the Demeter farm cooperative Heggelbach. In the demonstration project led by the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE, solar modules for electricity production are installed directly above crops covering an area of one third hectare. Now the first solar harvest of power and produce has been collected on both levels.
"The project results from the first year are a complete success: The agrophotovoltaic system proved suitable for the practice and costs as much as a small solar roof system. The crop production is sufficiently high and can be profitably sold on the market," explains Stephan Schindele, project manager of agrophotovoltaics at Fraunhofer ISE.
Why not cover parking lots with solar panels instead? Parked cars do not need to perform photosynthesis.
(Score: 2) by t-3 on Thursday November 30 2017, @12:29PM
I've got no idea what spectrum PVs do best with, but the "common knowledge" among users of grow lights is that only the ends of the visible spectrum matter (so red- and blue+) and the middle can be ignored. PV absorb a lot of heat though - this can be put to, many uses although it's rarely considered in my experience. Why run AC off electricity when you can improve efficiency of your panels and do it with waste heat? Why not lower the energy requirements of your walk in freezer or your water heater? Passive pumps, moisture farming, steam generation, air compression? So many other things one can do, using very old, very known and reliable technologies in conjunction with the new.