5:15 PM - 7:15 PM
[AHW22-P05] Integrating Green Energy with Agriculture: Optimizing Greenhouse Efficiency and Carbon Reduction for a Sustainable Future
Keywords:Life Cycle Assessment, Agrivoltaics, Net-Zero, Carbon and Water Footprints, Greenhouse
The increasing frequency of extreme weather events due to climate change has jeopardized the yield and profitability of high-value crops, threatening food security. In response, the Taiwanese government promotes facility agriculture, such as subsidizing greenhouse construction, to enhance agricultural resilience. Additionally, green energy development, particularly the integration of photovoltaics in agriculture, has become a central focus to achieve sustainable development and carbon emission reduction goals set by the IPCC.
This study, in collaboration with the Taiwan Agricultural Research Institute, presents a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) on green energy greenhouses, evaluating carbon emissions, solar power generation efficiency, as well as carbon and water footprint hotspots. Two greenhouse models were compared: an energy-saving greenhouse without solar panel shading, which maintains normal crop yields but has higher electricity consumption; and a net-zero greenhouse with semi-transparent organic photovoltaic (OPV) panels on the roof, which intends to achieve self-sufficiency in power. While OPV panels reduce electricity use, their shading effect negatively impacts crop yields. To mitigate this, the study integrates retractable OPV panels with an environmental control system, significantly improving crop yields by adjusting shading periods.
Using high-light-demanding melons as the experimental crop, the functional unit is defined as one kilogram of melons. The study quantifies the impact of solar panel integration on melon yields and carbon emissions, identifies key carbon footprint hotspots, and proposes optimization strategies. The results indicate that the carbon footprints of electricity and water usage are lower in the net-zero greenhouse, with reductions of 3% and 67%, respectively, compared to those in the energy-saving greenhouse.The findings provide scientific evidence to support the integration of agriculture and green energy in Taiwan, advancing carbon emission reduction efficiency and contributing to the target of 2050 net-zero emissions.
This study, in collaboration with the Taiwan Agricultural Research Institute, presents a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) on green energy greenhouses, evaluating carbon emissions, solar power generation efficiency, as well as carbon and water footprint hotspots. Two greenhouse models were compared: an energy-saving greenhouse without solar panel shading, which maintains normal crop yields but has higher electricity consumption; and a net-zero greenhouse with semi-transparent organic photovoltaic (OPV) panels on the roof, which intends to achieve self-sufficiency in power. While OPV panels reduce electricity use, their shading effect negatively impacts crop yields. To mitigate this, the study integrates retractable OPV panels with an environmental control system, significantly improving crop yields by adjusting shading periods.
Using high-light-demanding melons as the experimental crop, the functional unit is defined as one kilogram of melons. The study quantifies the impact of solar panel integration on melon yields and carbon emissions, identifies key carbon footprint hotspots, and proposes optimization strategies. The results indicate that the carbon footprints of electricity and water usage are lower in the net-zero greenhouse, with reductions of 3% and 67%, respectively, compared to those in the energy-saving greenhouse.The findings provide scientific evidence to support the integration of agriculture and green energy in Taiwan, advancing carbon emission reduction efficiency and contributing to the target of 2050 net-zero emissions.