Novel Agro-Photovoltaic systems

Topic description

ExpectedOutcome:

Photovoltaic power generation is pivotal to a clean energy system and the achievement of the zero-emissions target. To that end, it is important to enhance affordability, sustainability and exploit the modularity and synergies of application of PV technologies. Consequently, project results are expected to contribute to all of the following outcomes:

• Harvesting of crops and photovoltaic electricity, providing sustainable solutions for energy production/use/efficiency, soil protection and water conservation.
• Reinforce the European PV value chain, introduce new business models and open new markets for novel Agro-Photovoltaic systems.
• Minimise the impact of PV on landscape and environment exploiting its modularity and synergies of use.

Agro-Photovoltaics (or Agrivoltaics) denotes approaches to use agricultural areas simultaneously to produce crops and to generate PV electricity. In this way, Agro photovoltaics increases land-use efficiency and enables PV capacity to be expanded solving the problem of energy poverty in the agricultural sector, while still retaining fertile arable areas for agriculture.

The proposal should address all of the following:

• Develop and demonstrate agro-photovoltaic systems or building integrated agro-photovoltaic systems for green houses employing PV cell technologies/systems that allow and are adapted to appropriate growth conditions (plant variety and local geography) and at the same time produce electricity covering all year-through energy needs (e.g. for cooling/heating, watering, etc.) and increased crop yield.
• Demonstrate feasibility, reliability, replicability, robustness and ease of maintenance of the system and its performance using relevant KPIs (for e.g. ground coverage ratio, energy and agricultural yield, spatial efficiency, etc.).
• Demonstrate a business case for the concept and market introduction strategy.
• Address the following related aspects: low environmental impact (avoiding or minimizing land impact from PV systems), resource efficiency and circularity potential.
• Include a strong involvement of citizens/civil society, together with academia/research, industry/SMEs and government/public authorities.

This topic requires the effective contribution of SSH disciplines and the involvement of SSH experts, institutions, as well as the inclusion of relevant SSH expertise, in order to produce meaningful and significant effects enhancing the societal impact of the related research activities.

Activities are expected to achieve TRL 7 by the end of the project – see General Annex B.

Artificial Intelligence
Digital Agenda
Social sciences and humanities