A novel agricultural photovoltaic system based on solar spectrum separation

Agriculture photovoltaic (APV) is a promising and trend-setting technology which initiated an innovative industrial revolution. It is the combination of photovoltaic power generation and simultaneous agricultural activities on the same land. Existing approaches for agriculture photovoltaic install solar panels high above the farm field. The solar panels still block majority of sunlight and hinder efficient plant growth. In this paper a competitive edging development is present in the APV field that is unique and revolutionary. Combining concentration photovoltaic (CPV) and diffractive interference technology, a new system for agriculture photovoltaic has been successfully demonstrated. This system allows agricultural use and electricity generating on the same land in a very cost-effective way. The invention of semitransparent glass panels is discussed, which transmit only the light necessary for plant growth. A thorough mathematical analysis is performed to elaborate the theoretical background of the presented agriculture photovoltaic system. It allows optimizing the design layout and related CPV concepts. The test results of plants growing underneath the innovative agriculture photovoltaic system are shown and discussed. The average efficiency of the agriculture photovoltaic system has reached more than 8% and the average efficiency of the CPV system is 6.80%.