Shading Effect of Transparent Photovoltaic Panels on Crops Underneath Agrivoltaic Systems

Abstract

Agrivoltaic systems combine soil-grown crops with photovoltaic (PV) panels erected several meters above the ground. Combining solar panels and food crops on the same land can maximize land utilization. Under the PV panels, however, microclimate factors like solar radiation, air temperature, humidity, and soil temperature change. An agrivoltaic system must optimize sunlight sharing between solar panels and crops to maximize food energy production. It has been challenging to improve and analyze the performance of agrivoltaic systems due to the lack of a defined crop-specific parameter. In this work, we present a practical option to partially replace bifacial modules with semi-transparent ones, providing comparable levels of crop protection and greater climate change resilience while generating green energy and increasing land-use efficiency. The agrivoltaic system must be tailored to satisfy the needs of crops. For this purpose, a simulation model was conducted, which examined the impact of module transparency and cell layout based on light availability.