Studying the Factors Affecting Performance of an Agri-voltaic Plant under 185kWp Conventional Ground Mounted Solar Photovoltaic Power plant in Gurugram, Haryana

Document Type : Research Article

Author
Subhra Das
Solar and Alternate Energy Department, Amity University Haryana, Manesar, Gurugram, Haryana, Pin 122412, India
10.22059/jser.2024.374319.1395
Abstract
Agri-voltaic is dual use of land for farming and solar photovoltaic electricity generation thereby increasing productivity of the land. The objective of this paper is to study the feasibility of creating an Agri-voltaic plant under a 185kWp ground mounted solar power plant located in Amity University Haryana near the Aravali Mountain range. The study provides detailed information about the method adapted to convert the wasteland into arable land and presents the feasibility of creating such plants under solar power plant. The study highlights the technical, environmental, social and political challenges associated with this technology and provides possible solutions.
The experimental study showed that converting a conventional solar power plant to Argi-voltaic plant requires proper tilling of barren land on which it is commissioned. Regional plants and some medicinal plants grew well. Wildlife posed threat to the farm and plants like bitter gourd, spinach and coriander could not grow as were eaten away by birds. An average of 718.9 kWh of energy was generated uniformly. Potential barriers for societal diffusion of APV are lack of regulatory policies addressing the land use issues, taxation and subsidies for APV and lack of technical & economical knowledge among stakeholders which requires immediate attention.
Keywords
Agri-voltaic plant
Feasibility study
Technological risks
Policy risks
Social and Environmental Risks
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Journal of Solar Energy Research
Volume 9, Issue 3
Summer 2024
Pages 1981-1993