Imagine a greenhouse roof that acts like a smart blind, moving its solar panels to give plants exactly the light they need while making electricity. To keep plants growing fast even when the panels block the sun, the system adds a bit of extra CO2 to the air. It's like giving the plants a vitamin boost so they stay productive while the roof earns money from power.
Greenhouse operators face a conflict between using land for food production versus energy generation, often burdened by high installation costs for solar and energy constraints.
A PLC-controlled responsive tracking system for bifacial solar panels integrated into greenhouses, paired with a CO2 enrichment system to maintain crop yields.
If you are a greenhouse operator dealing with high energy bills and limited land — this project developed a responsive tracking solar system that generates electricity without harming crop yields. It allows you to turn your existing infrastructure into a power plant while maintaining food production.
If you are an installer dealing with high costs for wind-proof supports in ground-based solar — this project developed a system hung from existing greenhouse supports. This reduces the installed cost to €600 per kilowatt compared to €880 for traditional ground fields.
If you are a manufacturer dealing with the need for smarter climate control — this project developed a PLC-driven tracking system combined with CO2 enrichment. This allows for higher electricity production in low-light areas that were previously considered unsuitable for agrivoltaics.
The projected installed cost for the customer is €600 per kilowatt, which is significantly lower than the €880 cost for ground-based Photovoltaic fields.
Yes, the technology is being tested in operational industrial environments across six different locations with various greenhouse types and crops.
Based on available project data, specific licensing terms are not provided, but the project involves a consortium of 12 partners including 5 SMEs and 5 industry partners.
The tracking system is hung using a few screws from the existing supports of the greenhouse, removing the need for separate wind-proof supports.
The project period runs from 2023-02-01 to 2026-01-31.
The consortium is well-balanced for commercialization, featuring 12 partners across 6 countries. With a 42% industry ratio (5 industry partners and 5 SMEs), there is a strong bridge between academic research (5 universities) and market application, ensuring the technology is developed with commercial viability in mind.
Contact Alzahrawy society in Israel
Contact us to connect with the REGACE consortium for licensing or pilot opportunities.
