Entries by Anna Adair

Designing plant–transparent agrivoltaics

In this work, researchers evaluate the effects of wavelength-selective cutoffs of visible and near-infrared (biologically active) radiation using transparent photovoltaic (TVP) absorbers on the growth of three diverse, representative, and economically important crops: petunia, basil, and tomato. The results identify crop-specific design requirements that exist for TPV harvester transmission and the necessity to maximize transmission of photosynthetically active radiation to create the most broadly applicable TPV greenhouse harvesters for
diverse crops and geographic locations. They determine that the deployment of 10% power conversion efficiency plant-optimized TPVs over approximately 10% of total agricultural and pastureland in the U.S. would generate 7 TW, nearly double the entire energy demand of the U.S.

Social acceptance of dual land use approaches: Stakeholders’ perceptions of the drivers and barriers confronting agrivoltaics diffusion

Understanding the basis on which stakeholders judge and decide on such innovations is crucial to understanding perception and adoption, especially when the potential value of an innovation is not solely on an individual level but also on a societal level. Researchers combine two theoretical lenses, the innovation diffusion theory for an individual and the social acceptance perspective for a societal lens. Through 27 semi-structured stakeholder interviews, we explore perceptions of agrivoltaics by different stakeholder types in three countries (Germany, Belgium, and Denmark) and different agrivoltaics system designs (vertical, horizontal, and as replacement of cover installations).

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Minimizing habitat conflicts in meeting net-zero energy targets in the western United States

Using high-resolution energy and land-use modeling, researchers developed spatially explicit scenarios for reaching an economy-wide net-zero greenhouse gas target in the
western United States by 2050. Different levels of land and ocean use protections were applied to determine their effect on siting, environmental and social impacts, and energy costs. Meeting the net-zero target with stronger land and ocean use protections did not significantly alter the share of different energy generation technologies and only increased system costs by 3%, but decreased additional interstate transmission capacity by 20%. Yet, failure to avoid development in areas with high conservation value is likely to result in substantial habitat loss.

Emergent Molecular Traits of Lettuce and Tomato Grown Under Wavelength-Selective Solar Cells

In this study, researchers sought to characterize crop responses to semi-transparent organic solar cells (ST-OSCs) in greenhouses. Lettuce and tomato crops were grown under three ST-OSCs filters that created different light spectra. Lettuce yield and early tomato development were not negatively affected by the modified light environment. A genomic analysis revealed that lettuce production exhibited beneficial traits involving nutrient content and nitrogen utilization while select ST-OSCs impact regulation of flowering initiation in tomato. These results suggest that ST-OSCs integrated into greenhouses are not only a promising technology for energy-neutral, sustainable and climate-change protected crop production, but can deliver benefits beyond energy considerations.

SURVEY: University of Illinois Study on the Economics of Solar Grazing

By Tyler Swanson and Quin Karhoff The Bock Agricultural Law and Policy Program at the University of Illinois, Urbana Champaign is conducting a study supported by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory on the economics of solar grazing. Our research goal is to determine the structure of a solar grazing business, the cost associated with entering […]

RUTE SunTracker Demonstrates Cattle-grade Agrivoltaics in Oregon 

By David McFeeters-Krone, RUTE Foundation Systems, Inc.  Solar development is exploding around the country. The Inflation Reduction Act incentives have exacerbated this trend such that the next 10 years will lead to solar developments on over 2 million acres of land. This extreme growth for renewable energy will put a like amount of pressure on […]

The Illinois Agrivoltaics Regulatory and Policy Guide Analyzes State and Local Laws

By Jessica Guarino and Tyler Swanson   The U.S. agrivoltaics industry continues to grow as the desire to pair solar energy production land uses with pollinator habitats, livestock grazing, and crop production increases. However, while the excitement around agrivoltaics in all its forms blazes a new trail for what solar energy land use can look like, […]

Case Study: Solar Oysters LLC

By Anna Adair, NCAT Energy Program Assistant From filtering water to creating habitats for other marine species, oysters are a vital component of the Chesapeake Bay’s ecosystem. On land, they are the center of a rich cultural heritage as one of the region’s most valuable fisheries. Generations of families have made a living harvesting the […]

Use of Solar Panels for Shade for Holstein Heifers

In this study, researchers examined the impacts of animal agrivoltaics on the thermal comfort and wellbeing experienced by dairy heifers, and the potential benefit of offsetting enteric methane emissions. The shade provided by the solar panels efficiently relieved the heat load on the cattle, cooled off their body surface and skin temperatures, and decreased the costs of thermoregulation. Researchers concluded that 4.1 m2 of solar panels would be necessary to offset the methane emitted by the cows.