What can be grown in a solar power plant area

What crops can grow under solar panels?

Shade-tolerant crops that only require a few hours of sunlight per day, like beets, lettuce, or spinach are also a good choice for growing in the shaded environment underneath solar panels. With Agri-PV, the evaporation of water under the panels is slowed significantly, in some cases by 40 or 50%.

What crops work best for agrivoltaic farming?

As a general rule the crops that work best for agrivoltaic farming are shade-resistant ones (meaning they grow well in the shade), such as leafy greens, root vegetables, berries, tomatoes, and peppers. However, what crops will work best in a specific agrivoltaic farm very much depends on the climate they’re planted in.

Can solar power boost food crops?

Greater benefits can come from combining solar with food crops. The solar panels must be mounted higher up to allow workers and machinery to access the crops, making the setup more expensive. But this approach can help to offset those costs by boosting harvests.

Can you grow food under solar panels?

In 1982, researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy (ISE) in Germany proposed a stunningly simple solution: set solar panels a few meters above the ground, and grow food underneath. Their original sketch shows angled panels with fairly large gaps in between, so the crops still get plenty of sunlight ( 1 ).

Should farmers use solar energy to grow crops?

Getting the most out of your land doesn’t have to be solely a function of the crops you plant anymore. As solar technologies continue to evolve, a new option has become available to farmers that supports the growth of crops while also harvesting and selling the sun’s energy at the same time.

Are solar panels good for crops?

According to research from Fraunhofer, certain crops like grapes, berries, and apples tended to grow better due to more consistent shade profiles and reduced water stress as a result of the panels overhead.