Optimal Efficient Energy Production by PV Module Tilt-Orientation Prediction Without Compromising Crop-Light Demands in Agrivoltaic Systems

Abstract

This study analyses the local microclimate information to discover the ideal Agrivoltaic system tilt-orientation angles and the influence of crops on energy production. The study's objectives are twofold: (1) to provide a comprehensive method for determining the ideal tilt-orientation angles of PV modules that would both match the demands of crop-light requirements and optimize the energy output, and (2) to develop a mathematical model that considers the integration of crops within the AVS when projecting energy output. The simulation utilized a mix of PV tilt angle 0°-90° with orientation 0°-359° and hourly local meteorological data over one year. The study's findings showed that local microclimate data can be used to anticipate the tilt-orientation angle of PV modules to fulfil crop-light demand. The maximum solar irradiance collected on the PV module is 1819 kW/m2/year at a tilt angle of 8° and orientation of 187°. In comparison, 40.92% of light reduction is observed below the same combination. Furthermore, it was discovered that cultivation of Andrographis paniculata using the same combination produced higher yields than cultivation in open areas. Next, AVS installation also reduces the temperature of the PV module by 1.28 °C and increases the efficiency of the PV module by approximately 0.82%. Following that, the LER value for AVS recorded at 2.17. In conclusion, this AVS model offers enormous potential to predict ideal PV tilt-orientation and assessing the effect of crops on energy output.