Solar tracking panels support high -quality rice yields in the Agrivoltaics -Tasting period of Japan
While Japan is expanding its portfolio for renewable energy, a new study from the University of Tokyo offers insight into a brand strategy for double use that combines the generation of solar energy with rice cultivation. This Agrivoltaics pilot, executed in Miyada-Mura, Nagano Prefecture, tested the viability of rice growing under solar panels mounted on a double axle system.
The researchers installed photovoltaic panels three meters above a rice field, allowing the system to follow the sun during the day and over seasons. During the planting season, the panels were adjusted to make more sunlight reach the rice, while in the low season the configuration was optimized for energy output.
Rice yields under the panels reached 75 percent and 85 percent of those from conventional paddies during the first and second year. Improvements in the second year were attributed to better sunlight calibration. Crucial is that the rice met the benchmarks of the highest grain quality in Japan.
The Zonne -Array produced almost 44,000 kilowatt hours annually and achieved an energy efficiency of 961.4 kWh per kilowatt -comparable to leading systems in Europe. The production costs for 20 years were estimated at 27 yen per kilowatt hour, in accordance with typical household rates in Japan, even without subsidies.
The team emphasized the importance of dynamic shadow management to find a balance between crush productivity and solar output. They proposed future improvements, such as real-time sunlight optimization using AI and the use of highly efficient or semi-transparent PV materials to minimize shade.
As Japan focuses on a substantial expansion of solar energy by 2030, the study for Agrivoltaics argues for the means to harmonize goals of clean energy readings with food security, especially in space-related rural areas.
Research report:Case Study of rice agriculture in Japan under Agriphotovoltaic system
