The first "Agri-PV di Protezione" demo garden in Naturno in Bolzano will be completed in February and will cover one hectare dedicated to grapes, apples and blackberries protected by a system that includes high-tech solar tracking. The mission is to combine the production of solar energy from a renewable source with agricultural production, so as to enable businesses to obtain additional income without affecting the landscape or reducing the amount of fertile land available.
The agri-voltaic protection system was designed by Kurt Raffl in the Agrarkut System research center in Merano and will be commercialized by Oliva Service from Lecce.
Kurt Raffl and Angelo Amato
FreshPlaza has talked about it with Angelo Amato, owner of Oliva Service and sales and marketing manager of the entire project. "We have already received requests from all over Italy for approximately 23 hectares. We know photovoltaic plants have been discussed at length over the last few months because they are often connected with the sale/rent of agricultural land to energy companies, thus affecting the availability of farmland. We also know that PNRR funds will be granted to agricultural businesses interested in agri-photovoltaic solutions, especially those that will also enable the protection of crops from extreme weather events."
"Thanks to the fact that structures are up to 6 meters high, it is possible to employ them with various crops. What sets us apart from other producers of agri-photovoltaic systems is the great technological innovation. Facilities are in fact equipped with a system of very-resistant clear winding films that activate automatically to protect crops in case of extreme weather events. Poles are planted at a depth of around one meter, with a special anchoring system that guarantees the stability of the structure. Alternatively, they can be left on the surface supported by removable cement structures."
Below are some characteristics of Agri-PV:
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Clear films let the light through and can withstand gusts of wind up to 130 km/h;
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The films open and close automatically as they are connected to the weather station;
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Films remain closed during sunny days, so the environmental and visual impact is minimum;
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Tractors can fit below the structure and work also on tall trees such as olive trees;
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When open, the films improve the quality of work and help harvesting operations during the hottest times of year, so operators can work at a pleasant temperature also thanks to a cool water spraying system;
- Rainwater is collected in ducts and conveyed to tanks to reduce and optimize water consumption;
- The energy produced by the solar panels can be stored in batteries, fed into the grid or used for additional technologies such as field refrigerated units, which enable to drop the temperature of fruits and prolong shelf-life.
"Over the next few months, a research center dedicated to agri-photovoltaic solutions will be set up in Lecce to identify future improvements on the productivity and protection of plants, with particular attention dedicated to digitalization."
For further information:
Oliva Service
Via Perugia, 7 - 73100 Lecce
+39 0832/391652
+39 348/7849932
olivaservice@alice.it
www.olivaservice.it