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On the Performance Limits of Agrivoltaics—From Thermodynamic to Geo‐Meteorological Considerations
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Oskar Sandberg ,
Gregory Burwell ,
Paul Meredith ,
Ardalan Armin
Solar RRL, Volume: 8, Issue: 18
Swansea University Authors:
Austin Kay, Drew Riley , Oskar Sandberg , Gregory Burwell , Paul Meredith , Ardalan Armin
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DOI (Published version): 10.1002/solr.202400456
Abstract
As the world strives toward its net-zero targets, innovative solutions are required to reduce carbon emissions across all industrial sectors. One approach that can reduce emissions from food production is agrivoltaics—photovoltaic devices that enable the dual-use of land for both agricultural and el...
| Published in: | Solar RRL |
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| ISSN: | 2367-198X 2367-198X |
| Published: |
Wiley
2024
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| Online Access: |
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| URI: | https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa67900 |
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| Abstract: |
As the world strives toward its net-zero targets, innovative solutions are required to reduce carbon emissions across all industrial sectors. One approach that can reduce emissions from food production is agrivoltaics—photovoltaic devices that enable the dual-use of land for both agricultural and electrical power-generating purposes. Optimizing agrivoltaics presents a complex systems-level challenge requiring a balance between maximizing crop yields and on-site power generation. This balance necessitates careful consideration of optics (light absorption, reflection, and transmission), thermodynamics, and the efficiency at which light is converted into electricity. Herein, real-world solar insolation and temperature data are used in combination with a comprehensive device-level model to determine the annual power generation of agrivoltaics based on different photovoltaic material choices. It is found that organic semiconductor-based photovoltaics integrated as semitransparent elements of protected cropping environments (advanced greenhouses) have comparable performance to state-of-the-art, inorganic semiconductor-based photovoltaics like silicon. The results provide a solid technical basis for building full, systems-level, technoeconomic models that account for crop and location requirements, starting from the undeniable standpoint of thermodynamics and electro-optical physics. |
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| Keywords: |
agrivoltaics; average visible transmission; organic semiconductors; photovoltaics; power conversion efficiency; semitransparent photovoltaics |
| College: |
Faculty of Science and Engineering |
| Funders: |
Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council. Grant Numbers: EP/T028513/1, EP/T028513/1, EP/T028513/1, EP/T028513/1, EP/T028513/1
Research Council of Finland. Grant Number: 357196
Welsh Government's Sêr Cymru II Program
Welsh Governments Sêr Cymru II Program |
| Issue: |
18 |