The generation of energy by means of solar panels is spreading more every day, and recently some researchers have published a study in Applied Energy indicating that if solar panels are raised above the ground, and crops are planted on it, it improves significantly panel power generation.
And the causes are quite simple. Solar panels decrease their efficiency when their temperature rises above 25ºC. For each degree above 25, the efficiency decreases by around 0.5%.
Si se colocan plantas por debajo de los paneles, la “respiración” de las plantas hace que disminuya la temperatura en la base de los paneles, y la diferencia respecto de unos paneles colocados sobre el suelo puede llegar a ser de unos 10ºC. Si lo paneles trabajan a menor temperatura resultan más eficientes y además tienen una mayor duración.
This way of taking advantage of the soil, also called "agrovoltaic energy" is being used more and more every day, since it only offers advantages for the owners of the land.
In the study presented, they have analyzed different placement heights for the panels, and have reached the conclusion that a height of 4 meters above ground level is the most suitable for the efficiency of the panels and the best use of the land.
And if we take into account the increase in the world population and the need to obtain more food, it seems quite clear that agrovoltaic energy will continue to develop more every day throughout the world.
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