Publication date: 17th February 2025
Conventional silicon-based (c-Si) photovoltaic (PV) modules present limitations when used in agrivoltaic systems. They compete with crops for sunlight and create uneven shading, which can disrupt consistent plant growth. Alternative thin-film PV technologies, such as lead-based perovskites or cadmium telluride (CdTe), raise environmental concerns due to toxicity, while options like copper indium gallium selenide (CIGS) depend on scarce resources. Organic photovoltaics (OPVs) present a promising solution, offering environmentally friendly, thin-film technology with exceptional flexibility in light absorption. These features allow customization of transparency and color and enable seamless integration into various shapes and surfaces, overcoming the drawbacks of traditional silicon panels.
This ongoing project focuses on transforming agrivoltaics by incorporating transparent OPV modules with tailored light absorption into agricultural structures. The goal is to optimize conditions for plant growth by managing light intensity, diffusion, and spectrum, while providing mechanical protection against severe weather, such as hail, wind, and rain. By combining power generation and agriculture, the project aims to establish sustainable systems that benefit both sectors.
Therefore, the project investigates combinations of organic semiconductor materials to simultaneously enhance device performance and selective transparency in a scalable fabrication process. The research focused on optimizing donor-acceptor blends, photoactive layer materials and thicknesses tailored to the light requirements of seedling growth of model plants. Additionally, the study explores various hole transport layers, transparent top electrodes, and encapsulants to improve solar cell performance and stability. Both rigid and flexible devices are examined, offering versatility for integration in greenhouses and other agrivoltaic systems. Results using the PTB7-Th:IEICO-4F active layer blend demonstrate power conversion efficiencies of 5.2% in rigid, semi-transparent modules on glass, with ongoing optimization for flexible modules. Furthermore, a ternary blend of PTB7-Th:IEICO-4F:PC70BM was successfully implemented to enhance performance and stability, confirmed through light soaking tests. The study also monitors the variations in device performance that result from the upscaling processes to evaluate and mitigate efficiency losses. The current phase of the project involves large-scale production of flexible, semi-transparent OPV modules with a commercial partner, aiming for integration into agricultural protective nets. A 10 m2 prototype is planned for installation in an apple orchard experimental station by April 2025. In conclusion, with this study we aim to find a layer stack and substrate combination that results in a working OPV module suitable for modern agrivoltaics and in a manner that has the potential to revolutionize the field.
This abstract is part of project SYNATRA (SYNergistic architectures for next gen Agrivoltaics incorporating TRAnsparent organic solar modules) (PLEC2022-009323), funded by MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 and by the European Union NextGenerationEU/PRTR.
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