A team of developers in Australia built a greenhouse with photovoltaic solar glass. This allowed them to reduce energy consumption by 57% and water consumption by 29%.
These are solar panels that allow the passage of light, produce electricity, and insulate the interior of the greenhouse.
The experiment was carried out between 2021 and 2022 and is ready to be replicated.
Photovoltaic Glass in a Greenhouse: Australian Success
This greenhouse with transparent solar glass was essential in reducing water and energy consumption (29% and 57% less, respectively).
The Australian greenhouse. (Photo: ClearVue Technologies).[/caption>
This is an innovative solution for sustainable agriculture, developed thanks to research by Murdoch University and the company ClearVue Technologies.
They published their findings in the journal Cleaner Engineering and Technology. They demonstrated that integrating transparent solar glass in greenhouses can represent a radical change in modern agriculture.
The photovoltaic glass allows the passage of essential sunlight for plant growth while generating electricity.
Moreover, it acts as thermal insulation, improving the overall efficiency of the structure. This type of glass, provided by ClearVue, was installed in a test greenhouse in Perth (Australia) composed of four modules of 8m x 6m each.
In total, 153 transparent solar panels were used, distributed on roofs and walls.
Main features:
- Generated electricity used for air conditioning and internal systems.
- Crop performance similar to traditional methods.
- 18 crops tested, except for corn and rice with low performance. The study analyzed the impact of this type of windows on energy consumption, water usage, and agricultural performance of an experimental structure.
Types of Solar Glass Used
The experiment was organized in four compartments:
- Compartment 1: traditional glass (non-photovoltaic).
- Compartment 2: glass with a double layer of low-doping PVB.
- Compartment 3: same glass as 2, but with more luminescent PVB.
- Compartment 4: a mix of a layer of type 2 PVB and a layer of conventional PVB.
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During the experiment, which lasted from July 2021 to September 2022, 18 plant species were cultivated, including lettuce, spinach, and peppers. The results were conclusive:
- 57% reduction in energy consumption.
- 29% decrease in water usage.
- Agricultural performance remained stable compared to the traditional compartment, except for rice and corn, which showed low performance.
The energy was used for internal systems such as ventilation, air conditioning, and automatic curtains. The surplus was fed back into the grid, reinforcing the potential of these structures as self-sufficient generators.
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