Agri voltaic Project: Sustainable solution

for energy production and crop harvesting

Akhilesh Kumar and Vikas Kumar

Eden Horticulture Services (www.edenhorti.in), Sector -9 Urban Estate Karnal (Haryana) 132001
akhil.eden@gmail.com; www.edenhorti.in
 M. Sc (Biotechnology) and PhD in Science.

Post doc from Israel (4 years)

Founder & CEO Eden Horticulture Services.

Editor in chief EDDEN HORTI magazine.

Dr. Akhilesh Kumar

Vikash is our solar expert.

B.Tech from Kurukshetra University.

Worked with Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE).

NISE Alumni

Mr. Vikas Kumar

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 About Eden Genesis
• Eden Horticulture Services www.edenhorti.in is a consultancy firm which helps
people to set up Hi-Tech Horticulture project.

• Our expertise have been in protected cultivation, seedling production, soilless

agriculture and open field precision farming.

• We publish bimonthly EDEN HORTI magazine, provide training and consultancy, and
conduct Agri study tour to India and Israel.

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 What is Agri voltaic
• Combination between solar energy production
and agriculture on a same land. As we do in agro
forestry.

• 1981: Adolf Goetzberger and Armin Zastrow were

the pioneers of this technique.

• 2004: Akira Nagashima improved the idea by

introducing the notion of using the light
saturation point to optimize production.

• Agri Voltaic concept is used to increase land

productivity and economic profitability with
minimal negative interactions and positive
optimal interactions.

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 Why is need of hours?
INDIA targeting installing of 100 GW solar energy by 2022.

India has installed 31 GW of solar capacity, 17 GW is under construction and

tenders for 35 GW have been floated.

Future
Existing Existing
project with
solar project solar project
new
on field. on roof top
specification
Our concept fit for all the three kind of projects
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 Revenue Model?
CLIENT EDEN

SOLAR
LAND Agri Voltaic System INSTALLATION

Crop Cultivation Management of PV Generation

Crop Economics Annual Maintenance

Agriculture income (Variable) Solar Power income (Fixed)

REVENUE

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 How does it work ?
• On the ground: crops (cereals, vegetables, fruits, grapes, berries…)

• Above the crops: solar panels mounted on pillars.

• Process: Solar panels will get a part of luminosity and leave the remaining part for
the crops.

Japan China Italy

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 Crop: solar - Benefit Ratio

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 Constraints – Crop sunlight needs
• Photosynthesis: Light

6CO2 + 6H2O C6H12O6 + 6O2

Carbon dioxide Water Sugar Oxygen

Light saturation point: maximum

amount of light a plant can use
for photosynthesis. Above this
point, the photosynthesis rate
will not be increased.

The solar panels must, at least,

let pass a light intensity equal to
this saturation point. All above
can be converted into electric
energy.

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 Constraints in India: Lack of coordination
• The installation must not impact the agricultural exploitation of the area - Designing

• The panels must be high enough to allow farm vehicles to go beneath- Commercial farming

• The space between two pillars must be wide enough for the same reason - Mechanization

• Safety constraint: prevention of panels falling due to the wind (people could be working
below) – Insurance

• MNRE Vs Agriculture Ministries .

• Land Use: Commercial Vs Agriculture.

• Lack of R & D data for ROI calculation.

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 Static configuration

Static configuration
UPSIDES DOWNSIDES

Simplicity Limitation of plant varieties

The most affordable No control on the shadow

created

The most reliable

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 Dynamic configuration
Dynamic configuration
UPSIDES DOWNSIDES
Possibility to regulate the More expensive and
shade complicated than the static one

Horizontal inclination protects Panels inclination depends of

against hail and freezing the needs of the crops, so the
temperatures during the night energy production is less
predictable

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 Upsides (Theoretical) of Agrivoltaic
• Better optimisation of land
• Protection of the crops against extreme weather
• Improvement of agricultural yield

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 Downsides (theorical) of agrivoltaic
• Harmful for the crop if it provides too much shadow (more applicable for
static configuration).

• Costs of the installation,

• Increased humidity due to the evaporation reduction → can bring diseases

or parasites.

• More visible because of the height of the installation.

• Etiolated seedlings – Internodes distance.

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 Possible Project Module and crops:

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 Parameters affecting Agri voltaic Project
• Location

• Seasonal climate

• Temperature

• Relative Humidity

• Wind velocity – Pollination

• Lear Area Index

• Plant Growth Stage

• Metabolic profiling

• Respiration/ Transpiration and Photosynthesis

• Soil and water Chemistry

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 Notable projects in India:

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 Project cost Economics
Parameters 50 kW Project 100 kW Project
Land Area 500 sqM 1000 sqM

Solar Project Installation 35 Lac 70 Lac

Agriculture Project Installation 10 Lac 20 Lac

Operational cost 5 Lac 10 Lac

Maintenance cost 5 Lac 10 Lac

Miscellaneous 5 Lac 10 Lac

Total Project cost 60 Lacs (INR) 1.2 Cr ( INR)

Tentative revenue from 50 kW solar project: 300 x 365 x 5 = 547,500 (~ 5 Lacs)
Tentative revenue from 100 kW solar project: 600 x 365 x 5 = 1,095,000 (~ 10 Lacs)
There are 30 to 50% subsidy also solar project (as per state guidelines)
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 THANKS

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