Large-scale and cost-efficient agrivoltaics system by spectral separation

Fangxin Zhang; Ming Li; Wei Zhang; Wenjun Liu; Altyeb Ali Abaker Omer; Zhisen Zhang; Jianan Zheng; Wen Liu; Xinyu Zhang

doi:10.1016/j.isci.2023.108129

Large-scale and cost-efficient agrivoltaics system by spectral separation

iScience. 2023 Oct 5;26(11):108129. doi: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.108129. eCollection 2023 Nov 17.

Authors

Fangxin Zhang¹, Ming Li¹, Wei Zhang², Wenjun Liu², Altyeb Ali Abaker Omer¹, Zhisen Zhang¹, Jianan Zheng¹, Wen Liu^{1

2}, Xinyu Zhang^{1

2}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Optics and Optical Engineering, School of Physical Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, 96 Jinzhai Road, Hefei City 230026, China.
² Xiong'an Institute of Innovation, Xiong'an New Area 071700, China.

Abstract

Agrivoltaics (AV) offers a promising solution to address both food and energy crises. However, crop growth under photovoltaic (PV) conditions faces substantial challenges due to insufficient light transmission. We propose a large-scale and cost-effective spectral separated concentrated agricultural photovoltaic (SCAPV) system. The system utilizes concentrator modules, cell components, and dual-axis tracking systems to enhance power conversion efficiency (PCE), achieving a maximum PCE of 11.6%. After three years of successful operation, a 10 kWp power plant achieved an average annual electricity generation exceeding 107 MWh/ha. The results showed higher yields of various crops, including ginger and sweet potatoes, and significant improvements in soil moisture retention compared to open air. The improvements in PCE and microclimate validate the scalability of the SCAPV, which provides better plant conditions and cost-effectiveness, with an estimated cost reduction of 18.8% compared to conventional PV power plant. This study provides valuable insights and directions for improvement in AV.

Keywords: Agricultural engineering; Optics; Physics.