Gridparity has set up a new agri-PV system in Deutenkofen, near Landshut am Lech in Bavaria. The generator is located on a field at the local training and demonstration farm. Here, prospective farmers are not only trained in fruit growing. It is also a demonstration farm for modern agricultural fruit growing and an experimental farm where new varieties are tested.
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Investigating economic viability
The district of Lower Bavaria would like to use this new AgriPV system to analyse the practical economic viability and efficiency of the concept of solar roofing of fruit-growing areas. The focus is not primarily on solar yields, but rather on the influence of the solar modules on the growth of different apple and pear varieties.
Modules let a lot of light through
To this end, Gridparity installed several rows of six-metre-high substructures over a length of 80 metres. The semi-transparent modules, which the company manufactures in its own factory in Slovakia, were integrated into these. The test facility has an electrical output of around 99 kilowatts. There is space underneath for four rows of trees and two lanes for agricultural machinery.
The roofing with semi-transparent double glass modules with bifacial cells allows the fruit farm to utilise the area twice. While the solar modules produce solar energy at the top, they protect the crops below from solar radiation, hail and heavy rain. (su/mfo)
