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Electrical Energy Producing Greenhouse Shading System with a Semi-Transparent Photovoltaic Blind Based on Micro-Spherical Solar Cells

Author

Listed:
  • Zhi Li

    (The United Graduate School of Agricultural Sciences, Tottori University, 4-101 Koyama-Minami, Tottori 680-8553, Japan)

  • Akira Yano

    (Institute of Environmental Systems Science, Shimane University, 1060 Nishikawatsu, Matsue, Shimane 690-8504, Japan)

  • Marco Cossu

    (Department of Agriculture, University of Sassari, Viale Italia 39, 07100 Sassari, Italy)

  • Hidekazu Yoshioka

    (Institute of Environmental Systems Science, Shimane University, 1060 Nishikawatsu, Matsue, Shimane 690-8504, Japan)

  • Ichiro Kita

    (Institute of Environmental Systems Science, Shimane University, 1060 Nishikawatsu, Matsue, Shimane 690-8504, Japan)

  • Yasuomi Ibaraki

    (Faculty of Agriculture, Yamaguchi University, 1677-1 Yoshida, Yamaguchi 753-8515, Japan)

Abstract

An increasing population and limited arable land area endanger sufficient and variegated food supplies worldwide. Greenhouse cultivation enables highly intensive plant production and thereby enables the production of abundant fresh vegetables and fruits. The salient benefits of greenhouse cultivation are supported by ingenious management of crop environments, assisted by fossil fuel and grid electricity supplies. To reduce dependence on traditional energy resources, various studies have investigated exploitation of renewable energies for greenhouse environment management. Among them, solar photovoltaic (PV) technologies are anticipated to feed electrical energy to greenhouse appliances for microclimate control. This study proposes a venetian-blind-type shading system consisting of semi-transparent PV modules as blind blades based on micro-spherical solar cell technology to achieve greenhouse shading and electricity production concurrently. In response to the solar irradiance level, the PV blind inclination was altered automatically using a direct current (DC) motor driven by electrical energy generated by the PV blind itself. The PV blind was operated continuously during a five-month test period without outage. Moreover, the PV blind generated surplus electrical energy of 2125 kJ for blind system operations during the test period. The annual surplus energy calculated under the present experimental condition was 7.8 kWh m −2 year −1 , suggesting that application of the PV blind to a greenhouse roof enables sunlight level control and electrical appliance operations in the greenhouse with a diminished fuel and grid electricity supply, particularly in high-insolation regions.

Suggested Citation

  • Zhi Li & Akira Yano & Marco Cossu & Hidekazu Yoshioka & Ichiro Kita & Yasuomi Ibaraki, 2018. "Electrical Energy Producing Greenhouse Shading System with a Semi-Transparent Photovoltaic Blind Based on Micro-Spherical Solar Cells," Energies, MDPI, vol. 11(7), pages 1-23, June.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:11:y:2018:i:7:p:1681-:d:154847
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Hidekazu Yoshioka & Zhi Li & Akira Yano, 2019. "An optimal switching approach toward cost‐effective control of a stand‐alone photovoltaic panel system under stochastic environment," Applied Stochastic Models in Business and Industry, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 35(6), pages 1366-1389, November.
    2. La Notte, Luca & Giordano, Lorena & Calabrò, Emanuele & Bedini, Roberto & Colla, Giuseppe & Puglisi, Giovanni & Reale, Andrea, 2020. "Hybrid and organic photovoltaics for greenhouse applications," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 278(C).
    3. Chrysanthos Maraveas & Christos-Spyridon Karavas & Dimitrios Loukatos & Thomas Bartzanas & Konstantinos G. Arvanitis & Eleni Symeonaki, 2023. "Agricultural Greenhouses: Resource Management Technologies and Perspectives for Zero Greenhouse Gas Emissions," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 13(7), pages 1-46, July.
    4. Li, Zhi & Yano, Akira & Yoshioka, Hidekazu, 2020. "Feasibility study of a blind-type photovoltaic roof-shade system designed for simultaneous production of crops and electricity in a greenhouse," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 279(C).
    5. Yano, Akira & Cossu, Marco, 2019. "Energy sustainable greenhouse crop cultivation using photovoltaic technologies," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 109(C), pages 116-137.
    6. Grzegorz Lew & Beata Sadowska & Katarzyna Chudy-Laskowska & Grzegorz Zimon & Magdalena Wójcik-Jurkiewicz, 2021. "Influence of Photovoltaic Development on Decarbonization of Power Generation—Example of Poland," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(22), pages 1-20, November.
    7. Joshua M. Pearce, 2022. "Agrivoltaics in Ontario Canada: Promise and Policy," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(5), pages 1-20, March.
    8. Marcin Bukowski & Janusz Majewski & Agnieszka Sobolewska, 2021. "Macroeconomic Efficiency of Photovoltaic Energy Production in Polish Farms," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(18), pages 1-19, September.
    9. Gorjian, Shiva & Bousi, Erion & Özdemir, Özal Emre & Trommsdorff, Max & Kumar, Nallapaneni Manoj & Anand, Abhishek & Kant, Karunesh & Chopra, Shauhrat S., 2022. "Progress and challenges of crop production and electricity generation in agrivoltaic systems using semi-transparent photovoltaic technology," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 158(C).
    10. Cossu, Marco & Tiloca, Maria Teresa & Cossu, Andrea & Deligios, Paola A. & Pala, Tore & Ledda, Luigi, 2023. "Increasing the agricultural sustainability of closed agrivoltaic systems with the integration of vertical farming: A case study on baby-leaf lettuce," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 344(C).
    11. El Kolaly, Wael & Ma, Wenhui & Li, Ming & Darwesh, Mohammed, 2020. "The investigation of energy production and mushroom yield in greenhouse production based on mono photovoltaic cells effect," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 159(C), pages 506-518.
    12. Carlos Toledo & Alessandra Scognamiglio, 2021. "Agrivoltaic Systems Design and Assessment: A Critical Review, and a Descriptive Model towards a Sustainable Landscape Vision (Three-Dimensional Agrivoltaic Patterns)," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(12), pages 1-38, June.
    13. Uzair Jamil & Joshua M. Pearce, 2022. "Energy Policy for Agrivoltaics in Alberta Canada," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(1), pages 1-31, December.
    14. Simona Moretti & Alvaro Marucci, 2019. "A Photovoltaic Greenhouse with Variable Shading for the Optimization of Agricultural and Energy Production," Energies, MDPI, vol. 12(13), pages 1-15, July.

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