Is Agrivoltaics the Solution to Pakistan’s Troubles? |
Agrivoltaics is a concept that combines agriculture and photovoltaics. It means growing crops and generating solar energy at the same time on the same land. In an agrivoltaic system, solar panels are installed 2 to 5 meters above the ground, and inter-row spacing is kept at a minimum of 2 meters so that crops can still grow and machinery can work. The height, spacing, and angle of the panels can be adjusted depending on the type of crop being grown.
The idea of agrivoltaics is not new. The first idea of agrivoltaics was given by two scientists, Goetzberger and Zastrow, in 1981. They proposed this idea because they recognized that large solar energy projects might compete with agricultural land in the future.
Although this concept existed for several years, it gained popularity in the last 10 years. The panels provide partial shade to the crops, which reduces heat stress and water evaporation from the soil. The crops beneath the panels keep the panels cool, and cool panels work more efficiently. Both systems benefit each other, and this is called a synergistic effect. This works well for crops like lettuce, spinach, and herbs.
This system provides several benefits for both crops and panels. Agrivoltaics offers a promising solution to the global challenges of energy demand by producing both crop and energy from the same land. This is what makes agrivoltaics a truly remarkable and efficient land use system.
Global Adoption of Agrivoltaics
In the world, Germany is one of the leading countries in agrivoltaics due to its research institutions, pilot projects, and policy support. The first large-scale agrivoltaic project was tested here. The Fraunhofer Institute in Germany has done major research on agrivoltaics. Germany conducted large-scale agrivoltaics experiments to test whether solar energy and farming can coexist on the same land. These studies helped researchers with further projects in other countries.
In Japan, agrivoltaics started due to the very limited farmland. They installed solar panels over rice paddies and called it solar sharing. The panels generated 44,000 kWh of electricity annually, and their estimated lifespan was 20 years. In this way, farming was continued, and electricity was being generated. Agrivoltaics allowed farmers to generate energy and crops from the same land. Farmers earned income from both crops and electricity. After this success, Japan expanded solar sharing to more farms.
In the USA, Jack’s Solar Garden in Colorado installed over 3,000 solar panels over fruits, vegetables, and herbs. The panels powered around 300 homes. The farm owner confirmed that electricity income was higher than traditional hay farming. Water use was reduced by 35% in Arizona farms, and crops were protected from extreme heat and harsh sunlight.
In France, Dupraz et al. (2011) conducted the first scientific field experiment on........