According to Basque Research, the ULMA Agrícola consortium of Spain and Tecnalia research center, have developed a solar photovoltaic panel for greenhouses that generates electricity without an adverse effect on crops grown in.
Basque Research provides the following information: "The new photovoltaic module developed by the ULMA Agrícola consortium, the innovation area of the ULMA Group, and Tecnalia, allows electricity to be generated without the crops being affected by over-shading. Depending on the season, solar radiation can be deflected by taking advantage of the annual oscillation of the height of the sun's path; this is achieved through an optical system based on lenses. Solar without any mechanical control, technology meets the needs imposed, that must be met, for any crop ".
During the winter, light in the greenhouse, a key parameter for proper plant development, barely. However, summer, the optical system diverts solar radiation onto photovoltaic cells that make up the module, thus achieving a double objective: provide the greenhouse cooling during the critical period of high temperatures and increase the production of electricity through the photovoltaic.
The cultures to be used in the initial phase of winter testing will be tomato and pepper. They were chosen because of their widespread use worldwide. Also, greenhouse these valuable products require a great deal of light. The crops will be compared with those grown under a normal glass ceiling.
The tests were conducted in the greenhouse 400 Agricultural UMLA m, Neiker-Tecnalia property Derio, The Basque Country. In these tests the temperature will be monitored, Moisture and total radiation inside, and photosynthetically active radiation, that is the side solar radiation useful for photosynthesis plants.