Solar panels on the same land and crops

Sacrificing fertile land for the production of energy from solar photovoltaic, or reserve them always to agriculture? This question, frequently raised, is now an alternative answer: If you install grid panels to five meters in height, it can produce energy and grow on the same ground. This is the idea behind agrovoltaico, technology that has just seen the light in the Po Valley.

In April 2010, Carlo Petrini, founder of Slow Food, in an article in La Repubblica newspaper expressed its concern over the rise of photovoltaic panels on farmland: "With huge expanses of solar panels lose the underlying soil permeability, the activity Biological tend to die resulting in desertification decreed that infertility and increase the danger of floods. " It followed, therefore, only an invitation to install the panels on the roofs and reserve the fertile soil for agriculture.

Some Italian businesses have, however, thought that the two could be reconciled: if you install solar panels to a sufficient height above the ground and it does so only partially to shade the ground so that it receives direct sunlight, however, can be grown under the panels. Consequently fertile areas could be exploited for the production of energy from solar photovoltaics without removing them from agriculture.

This led to the'agrovoltaico ': the first farm to make use of this innovative solution has been recently inaugurated near Mantua (a chapel, in the municipality of Virgil). Following this, three other pilot plant (installed in the provinces of Piacenza and Mantua) were put into operation or are about to do. Overall they cover an area of ​​approximately 55 hectares and the total installed peak power is 10 MW.

Groups of photovoltaic panels are supported at about 5 feet off the ground by sturdy poles, which are the so-called "axis solar trackers", which communicate among themselves and with the control system via wireless, or wireless connection. Thanks to these trackers (also known as trackers, ie trackers), the panels change throughout the day orientation in order to follow the position of the sun and maximize their yield.

To provide direct illumination to the ground below, the stakes are placed at a distance of twelve feet apart and the panels are placed so that only 15% shade.

The height of the supports to allow farm vehicles to pass without any problem, if necessary, however, the panels can be arranged parallel to the ground in order to facilitate the movement and activity. The panels can also rotate to ask completely perpendicular to the ground when appropriate, in case of rain, and - above all - of snow.

The first company 'agrovoltaica', Chapel of the Vostok, employs 750 8 000 solar trackers and panels, spread over an area of ​​15 hectares. The total installed capacity is 2.15 MW.

"The plant was built in May and the first harvest in June, was an easy crop, forage or miles - Sarah Belladelli states, with an associate engineer, architect, Robert Meadows, has decided to give life to this Maybe the new business and agriculture -. The ground was uneven due to the installation, so with this first crop we have reclaimed the land, from next season organic farmers, especially salads, fruits, herbs and aromatic. "

The plant was designed and produced by REM (Energy Revolution Maker), which is based industrial holding company in the province of Brescia was founded in 2008 by a group of six historic Italian companies interested in entering the international level as producers of systems for generating energy, which did use of sustainable technologies and zero-emissive.

"When we joined forces in REM - the president says Roberto corners - we had a clear idea of ​​investing in renewable technologies best, provided they were environmentally friendly and emit no greenhouse gases." A multidisciplinary group has worked for 18 months looking at various options, finally choosing to focus on this unique symbiosis of agriculture and photovoltaics, which optimizes the use of the territory, ensuring the production of energy crops and the livelihood of the company.

REM has already filed for international patents and gained strong experience in the four pilot plants, the company is to carry out more ambitious projects, such as a well-100MW plant.

Though the concept is ingenious, and its successful implementation, the concerns about it are not few. First comes the question of aesthetics: many argue that tracts of solar panels to five meters in height fields are not a good show and ruin the rural landscape.

Following the question about the quality of products grown in square meters of photovoltaic systems. "Personally, I never cultivate vegetables and other edible crops, but only flowers - says Daniele Toniolo, president of the Venetian Italian Farmers Confederation (CIA) - vegetables need direct sunlight, the risk is that as you cultivate a emissions ".


In fact, in this regard, the filmmakers say that the level of shading is extremely small (about 15%) and that the support structures occupy very little space.

To give rise to further doubts contributes to the issue of electromagnetic fields that are generated around the panels. Of course, the devices are placed high enough, but as the risk that these fields interfere with the production process?

"Technically all you can do in Holland for years the tomatoes with aquaculture in the bath, but as the level of nutrition are those tomatoes?", That the comparison made by Maurizio Gritta, president of the cooperative organic farm Iris, which operates on 40 hectares of land in the Natural Park South Oglio, near Cremona. "Magnetic fields are not in accord with the biological products and crops in general - continues Gritta - we have our pasta factory located absorbers magnetic fields to avoid damage to cereals, because the revelations have shown that the machines they produce."

As always, hardly a technology can not solve a problem without creating others. The solution is still worthy of consideration and has already generated interest at the international level, so that EcoDelta, French photovoltaic important player since 2008, has partnered with REM to spread the agrovoltaico exclusively in France.