The Eurecat technology centre is developing new organic, flexible and semi-transparent photovoltaic modules using printed electronics with materials specifically selected to ensure complementary light absorption for plant growth. This paves the way for a revolution in agrivoltaics by unlocking synergies between agricultural and energy production.
Rolled out as part of the European SYNATRA project, the new organic photovoltaic modules will be produced using functional material printing and laser structuring techniques to lend them the necessary flexibility and transparency.
“During the project we’ll explore using combinations of photoactive organic semiconductors with customised light absorption spectra to let in the radiation that the plants need to grow while harnessing other regions of the solar spectrum for simultaneous power generation,” says Ignasi Burgués, a researcher in Eurecat’s Functional Printing and Embedded Devices Unit.
“In addition to uniform coverage of crop areas, we’re looking to explore additional benefits we believe this technology can bring such as filtering radiation that’s harmful to plants and helping to lessen water evaporation from the soil to deliver milder and more suitable conditions for crops,” adds Laura López, also a researcher in Eurecat’s Functional Printing and Embedded Devices Unit.
The project is to include manufacturing a prototype which will embed these new flexible solar photovoltaic modules in agricultural protection systems. “We’ll assess the impact of this technology in a real-world environment by integrating the photovoltaic modules into frost protection networks in order to functionalise and upgrade existing agricultural systems,” notes Paul Lacharmoise, head of Eurecat’s Functional Printing and Embedded Devices Unit.
The SYNATRA project will also help “to increase agricultural productivity and enhance land-use efficiency by reducing competition between agricultural and energy production,” points out Cristina Casellas, technology lead in Eurecat’s Functional Printing and Embedded Devices Unit.
Eurecat is coordinating the SYNATRA project through its Functional Printing and Embedded Devices Unit tasked with manufacturing and integrating the flexible photovoltaic modules for the field test to be conducted with apple trees in the Girona and Lleida areas.
The SYNATRA (SYNergistic architectures for next gen Agrivoltaics incorporating TRAnsparent organic solar modules) consortium has six multi-sector partners: the Eurecat technology centre, which is coordinating the project, the ICMAB-CSIC, IBMCP-CSIC, ICFO and IRTA research centres, and the spin-off VITSOLC. The project is funded by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation under the National Programme to Promote Scientific and Technical Research and its Transfer run by the National Research Agency under the Strategic Projects 2022 call.
