Can you grow crops under photovoltaic panels?

Research indicates that growing crops beneath photovoltaic displays can actually yield a distinct set of agricultural and environmental benefits. Thanks to the shade provided by the panels, for example, the soil can retain more water, meaning it needs less irrigation.

Do solar panels make crops grow better?

There’s even evidence to suggest that certain crops actually grow better, stronger, and longer under the protective covering of solar panels than they might otherwise, especially in hotter, more arid growing environments.

Can a solar photovoltaic plant be combined with agricultural production?

To address competition for land, it is possible to combine the installation of a solar photovoltaic (PV) plant with agricultural production on the same area . This new production system was first devised and proposed in the 1980s to allow additional use of agricultural land .

Do solar panels affect crop yields & fruit quality?

The solar radiation received by the plants may decrease crop yields and reduce fruit sizes (Marrou et al. 2013a). Consequently, the impact that solar panels could have on crop yield and fruit quality has attracted great attention of researchers. Tomato, lettuce, pepper, cucumbers and strawberries are the most studied crops under PV panels (Fig. 5).

Which crops can be grown under PV panels?

Tomato, lettuce, pepper, cucumbers and strawberries are the most studied crops under PV panels (Fig. 5). The recent literatures for applications of selective shading systems on the aforementioned crops and others plants are reviewed in the following sections.

Do agrivoltaic systems produce a good crop?

The success of a crop under an agrivoltaic system depends on many factors, yet mainly on location and season. Additionally, even light-demanding crops such as maize could be grown under certain conditions. Therefore, we propose to define an optimal daily light integral for each species, rather than a shade level.