With solar panels, bigger cherries and water savings of up to 50 per cent

What happens when semi-transparent photovoltaic panels are installed above a black bitter cherry orchard and combined with IoT sensors and an AI-powered irrigation system?

The experimental data obtained from a real-world hortivoltaic project are striking: a 40-50% reduction in water consumption, larger fruit and more vigorous stems. Here is what the figures reveal.

The results

The results recorded in the covered area, compared with the uncovered control area, are clear and measurable across four distinct categories.

Cherries grown under the agrivoltaic system. 

1. Larger fruit and more vigorous stems

The black bitter cherries harvested from the area covered by semi-transparent photovoltaic panels are visibly larger and have longer stems than those grown in the uncovered area. This represents a direct improvement in quality, with significant commercial value for growers selling premium fruit.

Water savings

2. A 40-50% reduction in water consumption

The dynamic shading provided by the panels drastically reduces evapotranspiration at ground level. This water-saving advantage is particularly evident on days characterised by extreme temperatures, precisely when conventional cherry orchards are most affected by water stress.

A 40-50% reduction in irrigation requirements is not a marginal improvement. For fruit growers facing rising water costs and increasing drought pressure, it represents a structural change in orchard management.

3. A different thermo-hydraulic profile under the panels

Analysis of the temperature and humidity variation curves in the soil reveals a distinct thermo-hydraulic profile in the covered experimental area.

Data collected by sensors positioned at depths of 35 and 45 centimetres show measurably different soil moisture and temperature dynamics beneath the panels compared with the uncovered area. This profile can be modelled to improve orchard management performance over time.

Predictive management

4. Predictive management through artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence algorithms process the humidity and temperature values recorded in the root zone in real time. The Tamiatics controller automatically calculates the optimal irrigation and fertigation windows, delivering water and nutrients precisely when the Silva6 rootstock can absorb them most efficiently.

The result is zero waste and the elimination of fertiliser leaching into the deeper layers of the soil, providing significant agronomic and environmental benefits.

Why semi-transparent panels make the difference

Not all solar panels produce these results. The key factor is the semi-transparency of Brite Solar’s agrivoltaic panels. Rather than blocking light completely, these panels transmit a calibrated portion of the solar spectrum to the crop below while converting the remainder into electricity.

This precision is essential because every crop has different requirements. Transparency levels, panel height and mounting structure are not fixed parameters but are defined for each individual project according to the crop’s specific light requirements, local climatic conditions and the farmer’s operational needs.

Crop-specific design

A bitter cherry orchard in Romania requires a different configuration from a vineyard in Northern Greece or a nectarine orchard in the mountains of Cyprus.

Cherries grown under the agrivoltaic system in winter

The bigger picture: climate resilience for high-value fruit crops

In the current context of heat waves and water scarcity, efficient water management represents a fundamental condition for the economic sustainability of orchards.

The bitter cherry project demonstrates that a digitised hortivoltaic environment can radically transform the climate resilience of high-value fruit crops, providing farmers with real-time data and improving every aspect of orchard management.

The project is actively seeking new development and research partners, fruit growers, agri-tech providers and investors interested in the synergy between clean energy and precision agriculture. If you fall into one of these categories, you can visit the project website or contact the team directly.

Clean energy

For Brite Solar, results like these confirm the objective pursued so far: developing agrivoltaic technology that does not force farmers to choose between energy and agriculture, but enables them to obtain both, together with measurable improvements in crop quality, water efficiency and climate resilience.

Are you interested in exploring the use of agrivoltaics for your orchard or crop? Contact our team for a personalised technical assessment.

All experimental data and findings presented in this article were provided by Dragos Ofrim, PhD — General Manager of InterNET SRL, OFRIM Group | hortivoltaics.ro | View the post

Text and image source: Brite Solar

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