Dynamic Agrivoltaics for Improved Irradiance Control in Nordic Greenhouses

Agrivoltaics is an emerging technology whose objective is not only to produce electricity but primarily to support the crops it coexists with. When installed in greenhouses, solar panels should be considered tools to manage the distribution of irradiance entering the structure. For the specific case of the Nordic greenhouses, where only their south façade is glazed, agrivoltaics offer promising synergies for enhancing irradiance uniformity within the greenhouse and across all seasons.This study includes an experimental campaign in which dynamic photovoltaic panels were integrated in a Nordic greenhouse and controlled based on incoming irradiance. A controller was designed and implemented to optimize compliance with agronomic irradiance targets. The irradiance performance study covered two raspberry growth cycles, with the agrivoltaic controller active during three of those months. In parallel, an irradiance model tailored to this specific setup was developed using an existing model architecture. The experimental phase also served as a benchmark for validating the irradiance distribution simulation.The agrivoltaic system proved to be a helpful tool for reducing irradiance discrepancies, while also revealing certain limitations of the system. The controller performed as intended, though it was constrained by hardware limitations and solar conditions. For a controlled agrivoltaic (APV) system to be truly effective, the greenhouse must experience excess irradiance and have sufficient lighting capacity—conditions that were not met in this case. The irradiance model has shown promising potential, although it remains limited by its inability to account for window haze.