Setting Up of Optimum Design Parameters for Agri-Voltaic Power Plants in Indian Geo-Climatic Conditions
Abstract
Agrivoltaics is a promising solution for addressing the growing demand for food and energy in the face of climate change, land scarcity, and rising populations. This comprehensive study aims to establish design parameters for agrivoltaic power plants across various geo-climatic regions and soil types in India. The study explores India's major geo-climatic regions and soil types, examining the multiple crops cultivated in these regions and identifying plant characteristics critical for agrivoltaics, such as plant physiology, root penetration, growth pattern, sunlight requirement (Photosynthetically Active Radiation) and Daily Light Integral (DLI) values, plant life, and sowing and harvesting seasons. The research develops a methodological framework and matrix for determining suitable crops for agrivoltaic systems in different geo-climatic regions and soil types. The research establishes design and installation parameters for agrivoltaic setups, considering geographical and climate conditions, PV modules layout and structure design considering sunlight requirement of plants, foundation type, selection and matching of equipment, cable layout design, system protection requirements, energy yield estimation, installation, operation, and maintenance requirements. Moreover, the study explores the cost impact of various design aspects on agrivoltaic economics, providing valuable insights for stakeholders looking to invest in agrivoltaic power plants. By understanding the influence of design parameters on the overall cost, stakeholders can make informed decisions and optimise the development of agrivoltaic systems. One of the critical outcomes of this study is the development of a method and matrix to determine the amount of sunlight available in different zones within a solar field segment for different structural configurations in terms of inter- row spacing, height, width and tilt angle. By knowing the available sunlight in different zones during different seasons of the year, appropriate crops/ plants can be selected to grow under these zones based on the minimum sunlight required to produce such plants. The System Advisory Model developed by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory was used to simulate the results in multiple scenarios.
Keywords
Agrivoltaics, Photovoltaics, Photosynthetically active radiation, Daily light integral