Development of a photovoltaic blind system for energy saving and crop growth improvement in high-insolation region greenhouses

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K05903
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 41040:Agricultural environmental engineering and agricultural information engineering-related
• Research Institution: Shimane University
• Principal Investigator: Yano Akira 島根大学, 学術研究院環境システム科学系, 教授 (70292670)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: 再生可能エネルギー / 温室 / 太陽光発電

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Our semi-transparent photovoltaic (PV) system, developed with a blind-type dynamic shading control, is expected to improve greenhouse (GH) crop quality and yield. The system, which provides PV-generated electrical energy, is expected to provide some of the electrical energy necessary for GH cultivation in high-insolation regions. When solar irradiance exceeded a pre-set threshold value, the blinds rotated to a position parallel to the GH roof surface to generate electrical power with a 40% shading rate. When the solar irradiance decreased below the threshold value, the blinds turned to an angle perpendicular to the roof surface to increase the sunlight transmittance. The blinds autonomously changed the shading rate in response to solar irradiance, simultaneously producing a sufficient amount of electrical energy for the blind control system. Cucumber seedlings were grown under the shading conditions behind the blinds to investigate the shading control effects.

Free Research Field

植物環境工学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

開発途上国の人口増加と地球規模の温暖化は、食料生産を担う農業分野に、土地面積当たりの生産量の増加と CO2排出削減を同時に迫っている。温室栽培は野菜や果物の生産において重要な役割を担っているが、地下資源由来の燃料や電力の消費に依存しているため、農業分野における主要なCO2排出源となっている。また、燃料や電力価格の上昇は生産者の収益減に直結する。したがって、温室栽培におけるエネルギー消費量を大幅に削減しつつ、作物生産効率を向上させる技術の開発が求められる。本研究で開発した太陽電池ブラインドシステムは、多日照地域の温室において作物と電力の両方を同時に生産する方法を具体的に示した。