Agrivoltaic Systems Enhance Farmers’ Profits through Broccoli Visual Quality and Electricity Production without Dramatic Changes in Yield, Antioxidant Capacity, and Glucosinolates

Abstract

The increase in world population by an average rate of 2% per year causes critical issues on energy and foods. By 2050, food demand will increase to 35~56% more than in 2010 due to the growing population. Agrivoltaic systems allow us to reach sustainable food and electricity-production goals with high land-use efficiency. In this study, the yield, antioxidant capacity, and secondary metabolite of broccoli and electricity production were analyzed under an agrivoltaic system over 3 cultivation periods. Based on energy production, an economic analysis of agrivoltaic was carried out. In addition, our study also reported that agrivoltaic with additional shading treatment produced greener broccoli with a higher level of consumer preference than open-field grown ones. The yield, antioxidant capacity, some glucosinolates and hydrolysis products of broccoli grown under an agrivoltaic system were not significantly different from those of broccoli grown in the open-field.