SHADING ANALYSIS OF AGRIVOLTAIC SYSTEMS : The shading’s effect on lettuce and potato from elevated agrivoltaic system in Sweden

Abstract: The world is progressing towards a more sustainable society, where renewable energy sources, including solar energy, play a crucial role. This study aims to address the conflict between agriculture and energy production by exploring the installation of solar panels on farmland. Four scenarios are considered, with varying parameters such as latitude, azimuth, slope, and row distance between photovoltaic (PV) modules. The study focuses on two different crops, lettuce and potato, which have varying tolerances to shading. The objective is to understand how the shadows cast by solar panels affect the growth of these crops. To analyze the impact of shading, the PVsyst software program is utilized to obtain PAR values for each scenario. The calculations are performed using Excel equations. The literature review encompasses scientific sources that provide insights into both PV technology and agriculture, bolstering the research findings. To ensure realism and manage simulation time, certain delimitations were made. These include limiting the study to two cities in Sweden, comparing only two crops, and conducting simulations during the summer period. The results reveal a significant potential for growing potatoes under PV modules. However, lettuce faces difficulties due to its high requirement for solar intensity (PAR), making it less adaptable to shade. The findings of this study indicate that crops like potatoes, which have a lower requirement for PAR, can be successfully cultivated in conjunction with photovoltaic (PV) systems. However, it is not advisable to implement AV systems in areas where sensitive crops like lettuce, which necessitate a significant number of sun hours with high solar intensity.