Scientists from the University of Tokyo collaborated with rice farmers in Japan to explore the concept of agrivoltaics, where solar panels are installed above crops. Their pilot study in Miyada demonstrated that this innovative approach could optimize land use by generating solar energy without harming crop yields. In the first growing season, the rice yield was 75% of neighboring fields, improving to 85% in the second season. The solar panels generated nearly 44,000 kilowatt hours of electricity, showing the dual benefits of enhanced agriculture and renewable energy production.
The research team is not done yet, either. They aim to improve the system even further, possibly by using AI to optimize the changing angles of the solar panels throughout the year. Making the equipment out of more transparent or efficient materials is also under consideration, per the outlet. “We hope this work serves to show high potential for agriPV systems both as a renewable energy source and revenue growth opportunities,” the researchers wrote in the study. The full findings are published in the Journal of Photonics for Energy.
https://www.thecooldown.com/green-tech/agripv-solar-panels-rice-fields/