Researchers Explore Crop Growth Under PV Modules with Varying Transparency

• Scientists from Colorado State University studied vegetable growth under PV modules with different transparency levels.
• The experiment tested jalapeño peppers, bell peppers, lettuce, squash, and tomatoes under thin film, semi-transparent cadmium telluride (ST-CdTe), bifacial monocrystalline silicon (BF-Si), and opaque polycrystalline silicon (O-Si) modules.
• Results showed higher yields for some crops under the 40% transparent ST-CdTe modules, indicating potential for optimized agri-PV systems.
• Squash yields decreased under all PV types, highlighting the need for further research on economic trade-offs in agri-PV.

Source: PV Magazine