Farmers test transparent solar panels installed on top of plantations.
Solar energy can be used to power any equipment that needs electricity,
and also is collected through photovoltaic panels and produced by capturing energy from the sun, later converted into electrical power.
It is increasingly common for solar energy farms to be installed around the world. And in the Netherlands, an experiment tests transparent solar panels installed on top of blueberry plantations.
Two researchers developed a solar energy capture system with alternating photovoltaic panels. Between them, there is a space for light to enter the plantation, at the same time that electrical energy is produced.
The first results showed that the transparent solar panel does not affect blueberry planting. The researchers concluded that production did not change due to the control of sun exposure caused by the installation of solar panels.
Now, researchers are testing the model on other crops, strawberry, and raspberry. The transparent solar panels are installed suspended above the plantation, and between them, there is a space to allow the entry of a beam of light that hits the plants on the ground.
After the initial test, the idea of researchers Ku Leuven and Engie can be used to create hybrid farms producing renewable energy. At the same time as cultivating, farmers will have solar energy being produced. In addition to solar energy, transparent solar panels capture and reuse rainwater used to irrigate production.
