Yellow and green cherry tomatoes growing on a vine beneath a solar panel canopy in an agrivoltaic greenhouse.
Agrivoltaics is growing rapidly in the field where solar panels shield crops from the harsh sun and often increase crop yield. It turns out agrivoltaics can work indoors as well. In agrivoltaic controlled environmental agriculture, semi-transparent solar photovoltaic panels are incorporated into greenhouses to provide sustainable energy for operations. For the first time, a new study evaluates the performance of semi-transparent solar photovoltaic panel technologies integrated into tomato greenhouses in southern Ontario through experimental agronomic investigations and three energy, economic, and environmental simulation scenarios:
1) conventional gas-heated,
2) heat pump-based, and
3) agrivoltaic-heat pump-based greenhouses.
Agrivoltaic greenhouse
Semi-transparent solar photovoltaic panel configurations tested included crystal silicon with 44% and 69% transparency, as well as with luminescent solar concentrators (53% and 69% transparency), and red and blue thin-film (50% transparency). The study found that agrivoltaic systems maintained stable leaf chlorophyll content and comparable growth trends relative to the control, however 69% transparent crystal silicon PV improved yield the best by 38%.
EnergyPlus modeling results indicated while heating loads were nearly three times higher than cooling loads, replacing the gas heater with a heat pump fully eliminated fossil fuel consumption, and increased electricity use by only about 1.5 times. Integrating the selected 69% semi-transparent solar photovoltaic panel system with a heat pump enabled fully electrification of an agrivoltaic greenhouse. The agrivoltaic system supplied approximately 13% of the total annual electricity demand. Although this increased costs 5% relative to subsidized gas, the costs were stabilized and the carbon emissions were reduced by 71.7%, outperforming the heat-pump-only retrofit with 67.9% reductions. These results are particularly important for Southern Ontario which is natural gas pipeline constrained from the growth the market could sustain.
Overall, the results demonstrated that rooftop agrivoltaic integration combined with heat pump electrification is a technically feasible and environmentally effective pathway toward low-carbon greenhouse operation in northern climates like Canada. This same lesson can be applied at home where not only can agrivoltaics work in your garden but heat pumps can be used to cut emissions and costs for heating your home.
This article was originally published on Forbes.com
Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband is expected to set out a ‘reset’ of the UK’s relations with the country in a Commons statement on Tuesday.
Nearly half of headteachers have reported pupil images being used for harmful acts including blackmail and extortion, new research reveals
The inquiry will take place in Edinburgh.
Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds said the Government wants to strengthen the UK’s ability to launch satellites.
An ‘ongoing cat-and-mouse dynamic between the authorities and smugglers’ could shift where small boats depart from and arrive
The Reform UK leader labelled face coverings a ‘menace’ and made clear he would ban religious ones as well.
Sarah Jones warned that any protesters stepping ‘from peaceful protest into illegality will face the full force of the law’
The Sussexes stepped down and moved to the US in 2020, before relocating back almost two weeks ago.
As police hunt down those who attacked police at the anti-migrant protest in Portsmouth, anti-racism campaigners say the violence was a ‘wake-up call’ amid fears of further disorder
Move expected to be announced by foreign secretary on Tuesday set to draw fierce criticism from the US and Israel
Trump ousted major arts donor David Rubenstein in 2025 as the president pushed to rename the venue after himself
Sarah Jones warned demonstrators who crossed the line from peaceful protest into illegality would face the full force of the law.
Balasankar Narayanan, 46 was last seen at 2pm on Thursday when he ran off from staff in South Park
The Texas spectacle later this week could prove to be a misstep for the president if he doesn’t get the crowds he wants
A trans woman has been jailed after lying about being raped by multiple men. Khloe Simmonds, 26, wasted hundreds of hours of police time on false allegations and several men were detained before later being released. At one point, Simmonds was responsible for 2.5% of all rape and serious sexual assault allegations in Harrow, northwest London.
The Eiffel Tower was forced to close on Monday after staff went on strike over the removal of female employees during a private visit by a Hindu religious group.
Rachel Bright was suspended from duty back in 2023 and has now been sacked
The Miami-based center issued the warning for Kauai and Niihau as Lowell was forecast to pass the islands to the west late Monday and Tuesday while traveling north
President repeats baseless claims about Canadian banks as Ottawa’s retaliatory tariffs set to go into effect at midnight on Tuesday
The president’s posts come amid an ongoing trade war with Canada

source