Optimal inverter and wire selection for solar photovoltaic fencing applications
Despite the benefits and the economic advantages of agrivoltaics, capital costs limit deployment velocity. One recent potential solution to this challenge is to radically reduce the cost of racking materials by using existing farm fencing as vertical photovoltaic (PV) racking. This type of fenced-based PV system is inherently electrically challenging because of the relatively long distances between individual modules that are not present in more densely packed conventional solar PV farms. This study provides practical insights for inverter selection and wire sizing optimization for fence-based agrivoltaic systems. Numerical simulation sensitivities on the levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) were performed for 1) distance from the fence to the AC electrical panel, 2) inverter costs, and 3) geographic locations. The results showed that microinverters had better performance when the cross-over fence length was under 30 m or when the system was designed with less than seven solar PV modules, whereas string inverters were a better selection for longer fences. The cross-over number of modules depends significantly on the cost of the inverters, which is a parameter that influences the system's design. The capital costs for a fence retrofit are far less than for any form of conventional PV racking. In addition, the LCOE of the vertical fencing solar agrivoltaic system can be competitive with conventional ground-mounted solar PV for the niche of farmers. Especially, when they are located between the latitudes of 10° and 50° in either the northern or southern hemisphere, and coupled with their ancillary benefits they represent a great alternative for conventional PV systems.
- For Data and Simulation Files: Check the Project OSF Page
Keywords[edit | edit source]
agrivoltaic; inverter; fencing; vertical;Sustainable development; Open-source; Photovoltaic; solar energy; balance of systems; renewable energy; do-it-yourself
See also[edit | edit source]
- The potential for fencing to be used as low-cost solar photovoltaic racking
- To Catch the Sun
- 3-D printable photovoltaic module spacer
- Open source DIY solar photovoltaic racking
- Circular PV panel
- Open-source Hardware Design of Modular Solar DC Nanogrid
The Western Innovation for Renewable Energy (WIRED) system is currently under construction to test out new open source methods to reduce PV systems costs and enable novel forms of agrivoltaics including the world's first agrivoltaic agrotunnel.
- Coal with Carbon Capture and Sequestration is not as Land Use Efficient as Solar Photovoltaic Technology for Climate Neutral Electricity Production
- Dual use of land for PV farms and agriculture literature review
- sheep
- Israeli white plastic reflectors
- A Farmer's Guide to Going Solar (NREL)
- German guidelines: https://www.ise.fraunhofer.de/content/dam/ise/en/documents/publications/studies/APV-Guideline.pdf
- 2021 review
- Miskin, C.K., Li, Y., Perna, A., Ellis, R.G., Grubbs, E.K., Bermel, P. and Agrawal, R., 2019. Sustainable co-production of food and solar power to relax land-use constraints. Nature Sustainability, 2(10), pp.972-980.
- Retrofitting solar parks for agrivoltaics
- Shading PV
- Alexis' talk at American Solar Grazing Association2021
In the News[edit source]
- How agrivoltaics is marrying food production with green energy in Alberta CBC
- Solar burgers: How agrivoltaics is marrying food production with green energy Western Investor
- Comment l’agrivoltaïque associe production alimentaire et énergie verte Les Affaires
- Solar burgers: How agrivoltaics is marrying food production with green energy MSN
- Comment l'agrivoltaïque associe production alimentaire et énergie verte Le ChoseLaval
- CastaNet
- The Winnipeg Free Press
- Head Topics
- Morning Ag Clips
- Les Affaires
- LaTerre
- RD News
- Lethbridge News
- Famrs.com
- Enbeuce
- Agrivoltaics: solar energy + better crops Climate and Nature
- Why solar power and farmers’ fields could be the perfect combination TVO
- Solar farms and sheep show the makings of a clean energy classic duo Business Renewables
- Agrivoltaics charge up St. Albert-area farms St Albert Gazette
- Sheep, solar and crops. How some Alberta farms are creating ideal growing conditions Western Wheel
- Sheep, solar and crops. How some Alberta farms create ideal growing conditions Voxpopuli
- 3D printed clamps for front-surface PV mounting on wood racking PV Magazine
- Harvesting the Sun to Grow in the Shade Garden Culture Magazine
- What crops fit with vertical agrivoltaics? PV Magazine
- Agrivoltaics – Keeping the farm in the solar farm Green Energy Futures
- Booming solar industry has a growing appetite for weed-chomping crews CBC
- La floreciente industria solar tiene un creciente apetito por equipos de devoradores de maleza Espanol news
- Des cochons à l’ombre des panneaux solaires, l’agrivoltaïsme gagne en popularité Radio Canada
- Pigs in the shade of solar panels, agrivoltaics gains popularity Euro Day France
- Des porcs à l’ombre des panneaux solaires, l’agrivoltaïque gagne en popularité News Day France
- ICI Radio
- The Weather Network
- Agrowoltaika zyskuje na wartości. Panele słoneczne na polu nie przekreślają upraw Business Insider Poland
- Kanada/ Coraz popularniejsza agrowoltaika: rolnictwo i produkcja energii w jednym Deon Pl
- Tu zboże, tam fotowoltaika. Rolnicy produkują i żywność i energię na jednym polu Bankier PL
- Kanada: coraz popularniejsza agrowoltaika: rolnictwo i produkcja energii w jednym MSN PL
- Agrowoltaika podbija świat (Agrovoltaics is conquering the world ) Warzywnichtow Polish
- Coraz popularniejsza agrowoltaika - rolnictwo i produkcja energii w jednym Agro Polska
- Agriculture and Energy Future - Agrivoltaics Agritecture
- MBA students examine a solar farm’s benefits for critical issues case competition Ivey
- Ontario solar curbs rankle expert BNN Bloomberg
- Kanada: coraz popularniejsza agrowoltaika: rolnictwo i produkcja energii w jednym MSN Poland
- Agrivoltaics: Harvesting the sun to benefit farmers, crops, and livestock Shareable
- Solar
- Papers
- Projects
- Agrivoltaics
- Solar power
- Solar energy
- Photovoltaics
- Sustainable development
- Agriculture
- SDG02 Zero hunger
- SDG07 Affordable and clean energy
- SDG09 Industry innovation and infrastructure
- SDG11 Sustainable cities and communities
- 2022
- FAST Completed
- Electrical engineering
- Energy
- Mechanical engineering
- Wood
- Renewable energy
- DIY