REGACE Completes First European Installation of CO2 Enriched Agrivoltaics System in a Greenhouse
Rome, Italy, June 5, 2024 — The EU-funded REGACE Project recently completed the first successful installation in Europe of an agrivoltaics responsive tracking system enriched with CO2 in a greenhouse.
REGACE develops innovative agrivoltaics technology to sustainably increase greenhouse yields and improve electricity production. The system, developed by Trisolar, was installed at a greenhouse in the organic farm of German partner Bio-Gärtnerei Watzkendorf. This represents a pioneering attempt to explore the benefits of using CO2 enrichment to expand agrivoltaics usage to areas with low sunshine conditions.
“The deployment in Germany will enable us to test our technology under authentic conditions,” said REGACE coordinator Dr. Ibrahim Yehia of the Alzahrawy Society. “We are confident that we will be able to demonstrate that agrivoltaics can be a major contributor to the EU clean energy portfolio, simultaneously addressing green energy and food security needs.”
Bio-Gärtnerei Watzkendorf has gained extensive experience in using CO2 enrichment through organic means. With the support of the German government’s ambitious plans, agrivoltaics is poised to become integral to Germany’s carbon neutrality goal by 2045. The country’s farmers have shown remarkable openness to adopting agrivoltaic systems.
REGACE is set to expand its installations to Humboldt-Universität in Berlin and at the University of Thessaly in Volos, Greece in the next few weeks. The system is already operational at the Fattoria Solidale del Circeo farm in Italy and Alzahrawi Society greenhouses in Israel.
This is part of REGACE’s plan to demonstrate its solution in six operational research and farming environments with different greenhouse types and crops.
The REGACE system, based on an initial prototype developed by partner TriSolar, will provide affordable clean energy which combines optimum crop conditions with significant energy generation. The use of CO2 enrichment will expand agrivoltaics usage to areas with low sunshine and low light conditions.
