AGRIVOLTAICS AND INDIA

 

AGRIVOLTAICS AND INDIA 

Introduction :

Availability of land is becoming an issue in view of growing urbanization and construction activity. Here’s were the Agrivoltaics or Agro photovoltaics (APV) system of practice comes into action to help us to build the new clean and green phase of cultivation. Let’s see about the APV System in detailed form in the following article.

What is Agrivoltaics ?

   Agrivoltaics, agro photovoltaics, agrisolar, or dual-use solar is the simultaneous use of areas of land for both solar photovoltaic power generation and agriculture. In simple means, crops that are cultivated underneath the solar panels in a piece of land simultaneously.

 -  The “shade tolerant” crops (requiring less light) have to be grown underneath the panels.

 -  Vegetable crops are mostly preferred as it requires less light compared to the other field crops.

 

 History :

    The technique was originally conceived by Adolf Goetzberger and Armin Zastrow in 1981, Agrivoltaics can refer to different methods of combining crops with solar panels, from conventional solar panels positioned on top of crops, to greenhouses made of semi-transparent PV panels.

Why it’s an important system of practice ? Here we see about this....

 

 

Factors and findings :

Water requirement would be less in the photovoltaic system as evapotranspiration will be reduced due to the shade to the crops. This is a major factor as it can reduce the investments on both the electricity and water.

In addition, we discuss microclimatic alterations and the resulting impacts of APV on crop production.

The main findings are that

(1) Through combined energy and crop production, APV can increase land productivity by up to 70%.

(2) Given the impacts of climate change and conditions in arid climates, potential benefits are likely for crop production through additional shading and observed improvements of water productivity.

(3) In addition, APV enhances the economic value of farming and can contribute to decentralized, off-grid electrification in developing and rural areas,  thus further improving agricultural productivity.

Researches in India :

Uttar Pradesh –

• APV projects for isolated sites are being studied by Amity University in Noida of Uttar Pradesh.

• A study published in 2017 looked at the potential of agrivoltaics for vineyards in India. The agrivoltaic system studied in this article consist of solar panels intercalated between crops to limit shading on plants.

• This study claimed that the system could increase the revenue (not profit) of Indian farmers in one specific area by 1500% (ignoring investment costs).

 

Kerala-

In December 2021, Cochin International Airport Limited with the airport’s agrivoltaic farming scaled up to 20 acres became the largest of its kind in the country.

 

Telangana –

• A pilot study on ‘Agro Photovoltaic System,’ has been taken up at the Prof. Jayashankar Telangana State Agricultural University (PJTSAU).

• Crops like carrot, cabbage, cauliflower and broccoli have been selected for the study.

• This project is still under research and the objective is to apply it in larger scale with higher efficiency.

Major Advantages :

(1) There is a possibility of crop failures in rain-fed cultivation due to frequent droughts and the solar energy generation would be an assured income to the farmers with the expansion of ‘APV system’ (under such drought conditions).

(2) Observing that there could be a reduction in electricity generation from the solar panel if its temperature increases, cultivation of crops underneath the solar panel can have a cooling effect on the panel due to evapotranspiration (water lost from soil and plants).

(3) Because of evaporation and transpiration, the solar panels will get a cooling effect thereby improving the efficiency of solar panels

(4) In some cases, crop yield increases due to the shade of the solar panels, mitigating some of the stress on plants caused by high temperatures and ultraviolet rays (UV) damage

Disadvantages:

(1) Agrivoltaic greenhouses are inefficient; in one study, greenhouses with half of the roof covered in panels were simulated, and the resulting crop output reduced by 64% and panel productivity reduced by 84%.

 (2) Agrivoltaics will only work well for plants that require shade and where sunlight is not a limiting factor. Shade crops represent only a tiny percentage of agricultural productivity.

(3) Agrivoltaics require a large investment, not only in the solar arrays, but in different farming machinery and electrical infrastructure. The potential for farm machinery to damage the infrastructure can also drive up insurance premiums as opposed to conventional solar arrays.

(4) These systems are technologically complex  and the damages or other fixing ups are only by skilled set of labours.

 

Conclusion :

APV can be a valuable technical approach for more sustainable agriculture, helping to meet prospective needs of energy and food production with simultaneously sparing land resources. Also it have it’s own downside of technological complex as it mentioned above. But it can be a great cultivation practice that can help to thrive and fight climate change and income instability, makes us to get one step closer to the new era of change.

written by,

RUBANBALAJI. P

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