Daystar Energy-100mw Agrivoltaic Solar Farm
The Daystar Energy 100MW (Agrivoltaic) solar farm involves the construction and operation of a large-scale solar farm covering an area of 120 hectares, which will generate up to 700MWac of clean renewable energy per day.
The Project will utilise photovoltaic (PV) solar panels mounted in rows on a tilt axis tracking system.
The solar PV panels will generate direct current (DC) electricity that will be converted to alternating current (AC) by inverters. The energy generated by the solar panels will be a multi function (behind the meter) energy resource.
What is Agrivoltaics
Agrivoltaics is co-developing the same area of land for both solar photovoltaic power as well as for agriculture. The coexistence of solar panels and crops creates a symbiotic relationship between the two components.
The plants, protected by the solar panels from the worst of the midday sun’s rays, become little evaporative coolers on the landscape. They take up carbon for photosynthesis by opening up their pores, or stomata, while letting water escape from their leaves and create a cooler microclimate.
The solar panel modules can lose efficiency while operating under the blazing sun. The panels perform at a higher level – thanks to this cooler microclimate afforded by the plants. The panels, in turn, protect the plants from sunburn and dehydration.
The end results: a better crop yield and more efficient performance of the solar array.
The Benefits of Agrivoltaics
Apart from the obvious duel use on the same area and the symbiotic relationship mentioned above the main benefit would be based upon the type of crop chosen.
In our case its is Hemp or industrial cannabis and the reason for doing so ranges from it ability to sequester large amounts of carbon (creating carbon offsets), and multiple revenue streams from the plant itself such as Bast (graphene/textiles), Hurd ( fiber/biochar) and Seed (high quality oil).