It’s interesting. I’ve been considering fencing options to act as windbreaks as we get really wicked winds here. It would be neat if that were an option. Durability is definitely something I’m curious about. We also get to the upper 30s in summer and probably 40 by the time I retire, so I wonder what efficiency looks like at those temps.
These seem fragile and very inefficient…
They have made the fences tall, which creates an impression of fragility, but we don’t see how deep the posts run into ground. :)
I have a solar fence in operation for 1 year. My version is 1 panel width tall - about 1.2 meters tall, and I built it extremely cheap - 5 cm rectangular wooden posts with a metal screw tip running 30 cm into ground. Assembly using household screws and luck. During storms, it does change position, but I haven’t noticed disassembly.
During hail, it would survive events that would smash my other panels, because a vertical surface exposes less target area and offers more oblique angles of collision to hailstones.
As for efficiency, my vertical array is the most efficient array I have during winter. It’s never covered by snow and catches low sunshine better. In summer, it is the coolest (but not most efficient) array that I have, because it creates verticial convection and gives away heat more efficiently. But it differs from theirs because it’s an east-west array (they seem to have used a north-south geometry to catch morning and evening sunshine).
As for what they said of their results:
The panels generated much less electricity than a standard tilted array, but it was produced in mornings and evenings. “It matches better when there is high electricity demand in the system,” says Victoria.
Vertical solar panels have been shown to be surprisingly efficient.
https://www.solarwa.org/vertical_bifacial_solar_panels
The plants also have a cooling effect on the panels, which further increases efficiency.
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Oh. Sorry. I thought it was good to be able to both have farming land and solar power. Sorry for missing the mark.
How would this not reduce crop yields? Mathematically it is impossible, plenty of roofs and other things to put the solar panels on.
If only there was a very concise article to explain their test and control groups…oh well, I guess looking at the picture is good enough
Plants don’t necessarily need as much sunlight as they get. More tends to be wasted and drys them out (thus wasting water). Growing in shade is actually better for many types of plants.
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Dude, this has had a lot of scientific research behind it already. Perhaps you could read some of it rather than doing the thing you’re ranting against?
https://www.climatehubs.usda.gov/hubs/northeast/topic/agrivoltaics-coming-soon-farm-near-you
https://www.energy.gov/eere/solar/agrivoltaics-solar-and-agriculture-co-location
Because "In Denmark, it is common for trees, wooden fences and even plastic sheets to act as windbreaks for crops. “We thought, if we are going to do this, why not make these wind shelters produce electricity?” says Victoria.
In other words, the solar panels aren’t taking away any crop space that wasn’t already taken for windbreaks.
If you’re used to a giant field of wheat with no protection from wind, it’s a different equation. (With climate change, possibly a Dust Bowl waiting to happen, but that’s another story.)
I ain’t a farmer but I seen enough corn fields endless miles acres and acres. Same fields some years with soybeans. We don’t put up sheets or windbreaks lol.
I don’t think the project was aimed at Iowa or Kansas. For one thing, they’re tornado country. You’d need to be able to retract the panels into the ground like missile silos or a 007-villain’s evil lair.
Ok now I’m in. Install the solar panel silos! Lol
Not all crops need 100% sun exposure in 100% of their growing regions.
Many crops do better with a little bit of well placed shading to help keep temperatures/sun damage down.
The way these panels are oriented they may also reduce wind flow over the crops which can improve water retention (but may lead to other problems if crops are over-irrigated).
Mathematically it’s entirely possible to have better crop yield than a vast expanse of monocrops devoid of shelter.
I’ll bite which specific crops do better in partial sun rather than full sun?
From: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agrivoltaics#Advantages
Increased crop yield has been shown for a number of crops:
Basil[46] Broccoli[47] Celery[48] Chiltepin peppers[49] Corn[50]/maize[51] Lettuce[52][53] Pasture grass[54] Potatoes[55] Spinach[46] Tomatoes[49] Wheat[56]
Sheep grazing around solar panels in Australia produce a higher volume of wool, at better quality.[38]
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Yes? Everything ever has advantages and disadvantages. Thanks for catching up.
Increased crop yield has been shown for a number of crops:
Basil[46]
Broccoli[47]
Celery[48]
Chiltepin peppers[49]
Corn[50]/maize[51]
Lettuce[52][53]
Pasture grass[54]
Potatoes[55]
Spinach[46]
Tomatoes[49]
Wheat[56]Removed by mod
@droporain you have made it very clear that its not an idea you would apply and your only contribution to the conversation has been lol look omg shitty idea
ok we get you, you dont see any utility
you dont add anything and only rebate what the rest are saying
what makes you think i have not read it and have found a case use where it helps me¿?
what would be your solution¿? how would you plant crops¿?
enlighten us please add something to the conversation
