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The MarcS prototype with clover grass grown underneath is being tested as part of the Sunbiose research project
With the Modular Arc System (MarcS), GOLDBECK SOLAR has created a real innovation for agrivoltaics. The solution produces energy while agricultural activities can continue. The MarcS prototype has now been implemented as part of the Sunbiose research project in collaboration with Circular8.energy and Wageningen University & Research.
How do soil quality and microclimate as well as plant quality and yield behave under the PV system? The Sunbiose research project will be investigating this question over the next two years. To this end, the team has already planted clover grass with project manager Hellen Elissen from Wageningen University & Research and will be testing various configurations of the PV system. “We want to find out how different light levels affect the plants underneath,” says Hellen Elissen. Marcel Stöber from GOLDBECK SOLAR adds: “MarcS is a specially developed solution that we have equipped with a number of technical refinements for the research project. In particular, the soil-friendly design made it possible to integrate the PV system into an already planted field. In addition, the ability to move individual module arcs allows us to investigate different light distributions below the PV system.”
The next two years will bring new insights into the combination of PV systems with agriculture. The research project will help to gather experience in order to make further optimizations and development options for various applications. “For large-scale agricultural applications, the combination with robotics could be very promising. Innovative cultivation methods that are intelligently combined with a PV system could significantly increase land use and water efficiency. As part of our agri-photovoltaic activities, we are looking for solutions to increase climate resilience in agriculture by improving the micro-climate and achieving a protective function through the PV system. In this way, weather-related crop failures and the use of pesticides can be reduced,” comments Patricia Gese, responsible for business development in the Agri-PV sector at GOLDBECK SOLAR.
MarcS wins the Intersolar Award 2021: Shaping the future of solar energy
Finalist of the Intersolar Awards 2021
Circul8.energyCircul8.energy together with Solarvation is a professional partner for the preparation, development and realization of sustainable energy projects. Either under own management or commissioned by third parties. It is also the driving force behind innovation projects that bring the efficiency of renewable energy to a higher level.
WURWageningen University & Research is a leading international agricultural research institute located in the Netherlands with its headquarters in the city of Wageningen. WUR focuses on the domain ‘healthy food and living conditions’. Not only top-quality expertise is developed but this knowledge is translated into practice worldwide. As a result, in the field of life sciences, agricultural and environmental science, the university is considered world-class. It is a founding member of the Euroleague for Life Sciences.
