GO AGROTECHVOLTAICO: Improving wine production through symbiosis with smart agrovoltaics
- Type Grupo operativo
- Status In progress
- Execution 2024 -2027
- Scope Supraautonómico
- Autonomous community Castilla y León; Comunitat Valenciana
- Main source of financing PEPAC 2023-2027
Agrovoltaics has the potential to save traditional crops from the effects of climate change, such as rising temperatures or drought. Photovoltaic panels can be oriented to provide shading as needed, ensuring crop well-being and maximising production and quality while generating electricity. To do this, intelligent algorithms are needed that are fed with parameters representative of the physiological state of the plants. The main results of the project will be: Obtaining high-quality wines in terms of phenolic content, which is achieved by providing an appropriate environment for each strain through the shading generated by the panels. Electricity production. The algorithm will also take into account solar irradiance data for energy production. Reduction of inputs. In some cases, farmers are resorting to irrigating strains to maintain quality, which can be avoided with adequate shading. All of this can be achieved by implementing agrovoltaic systems fed by climate and crop data.
The expected findings for the project are:
- Obtaining a phenological model for Tempranillo and Albariño vines in different climatic zones.
- Obtaining intelligent algorithms capable of adapting the position of solar panels based on the phenological parameters of the vines.
- Validation of an agrovoltaic system capable of adjusting the position of the plates in such a way as to maximize the productivity and quality of the wine by obtaining renewable photovoltaic energy without compromising cultivation surfaces
The following activities will be carried out in the project:
- The first activity is the definition of requirements. The aim is to obtain the climatic data that will allow the correct design of the models, as well as to determine the phenological parameters to be monitored and to decide on the plots on which to locate the facilities. In short, the skeleton of the project is defined.
- The second activity aims to design the agrovoltaic installation, both at the structure and plate level, as well as at the sensor level, in order to proceed with its assembly and testing.
- In the third activity, models of the phenological cycles of the vine will be designed and developed by characterizing different parameters during the vegative and reproductive seasons of the plant.
- The fourth activity focuses on the development of the methodology for monitoring the physiological variables of the vineyard, which allows the correct functioning of the intelligent agrovoltaic system to be evaluated.
- In the fifth activity, the growth of the vine will be analysed based on physiological parameters, such as budding, flowering, veraison, as well as different more technical parameters. This will allow the correct input to the plate control algorithm.
- The sixth activity will focus on the agrovoltaic system model of the facilities, so that a computational model of the facilities is available and the data collected can be processed and analyzed, and finally, the work carried out can be validated.
The current climate context involves long-term changes in both temperature and weather patterns, including droughts. In addition, it also involves warmer winters, low-rainfall springs and stifling summers. All of these conditions put severe pressure on agricultural systems, and farmers are forced to increase inputs or switch to more profitable crops.
This is applicable to the cultivation of grapes and wine production. Although the grapevine is a typically dry-farmed plant, it requires a certain degree of humidity to obtain maximum production, as well as a dormant period to start the production cycle.
In addition, a strict range of temperatures and solar radiation is required for the grapes to properly ripen and develop polyphenolic substances responsible for the characteristic flavors and colors of this fruit.
Climate changes strongly affect these stages, disconnecting technological maturation (sugar content) and phenological maturation (polyphenol content), and creating a major problem for wine producers, who receive grapes with an enormous sugar content but of poor quality, obtaining wines with a dramatically low flavor content, and problems related to volatile acidity and critical microbiological instability that make them unsuitable for winemaking.
It is therefore essential to find a solution to this problem. Agrovoltaics is an attractive solution, as it provides the necessary conditions for the vines and enables the production of energy.
The project addresses the research, development and validation of a solution based on intelligent agrovoltaics and powered by the phenological state of the vines to provide the necessary shading to the plants in order to maximize wine production while also producing photovoltaic energy through sensors and intelligent algorithms capable of modeling the phenological state of the plant, reducing irrigation needs and synchronizing technical and phenological maturation to ensure the quality of the wine.
- Obtaining high-quality wines in terms of phenolic content, which is achieved by providing an appropriate environment for each strain through the shading generated by the panels.
- Electricity production. The algorithm will also take into account solar irradiance data for energy production.
- Reduction of inputs. In some cases, farmers are resorting to irrigating vines to maintain quality, which can be avoided with adequate shading.
All of this can be achieved by implementing agrovoltaic systems powered by climate and crop data.
- Coordinator name: Basque Country Energy Cluster Association
- Postal address: CALLE SAN VICENTE NUM 8 Floor 4 Pta. BD Complem. EDF.ALBIA II 48001 BILBAO (BIZKAIA)
- Coordinator email: bmolinte@clusterenergia.com
- Telephone: 944240211
- Asociación Clúster de Energía del País Vasco
- POWERFULTREE S.L.
- BODEGA SAN GABRIEL - COLEGIO SEMINARIO SAN GABRIEL
- CASA SICILIA S.L.
- SOLAR360 DE REPSOL Y MOVISTAR S.L
- Asociación Clúster de Energía del País Vasco
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