Recording of Wednesday, August 28, 2024 | Intersolar South America 2024 | Conference Program | Language: English | Duration: 96:16 .

Integration of Agrivoltaic Technologies in Brazil: Synergy between Solar Energy and Agriculture for Sustainability and Innovation

The panel on photovoltaic solutions for agribusiness in Brazil highlights the growing importance of solar energy, with installations exceeding 1 gigawatt per month. The synergy between agriculture and renewable energies is crucial for holistic future exploitation. Laís Vidotto from the Fotovoltaica UFSC laboratory presented agrivoltaic systems that combine agriculture and solar generation, benefiting large enterprises and family farming, which accounts for 77% of Brazilian agricultural establishments. The event had five speakers discussing solar technologies integrated into the Brazilian countryside; Ricardo Castro from the Flextronics Technology Institute addressed systemic design optimizations of these energy innovations within today's globalized agro-ecosystem. In Brazil, there is ongoing development of agrivoltaic projects, especially in collaboration with FIT and Nexpress in Sorocaba, but challenges remain in terms of local community acceptance due to competition for the use of arable land for the sustainable energy production needed in the face of a growing world population. Furthermore, integrating beekeeping into solar power plants represents an innovative approach promoting environmental sustainability while generating extra income through the commercialization of bee-derived products such as honey and propolis.

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Talk of session: PV Solutions for Agri-Business

Agriculture and solar photovoltaics have synergistic effects, for example: by protecting the soil from direct sunlight, PV modules reduce irrigation demand and provide shade for certain crops. These and other beneficial interactions are discussed in this session.

Presentations included in this session:

Welcome and Introduction

Speaker

Laís Cassanta Vidotto
Pesquisadora
UFSC - Fotovoltaica
Brazil

Development of Agriculture and Fruit Growing in Agrivoltaic Systems, Case Studies in Brazil

Speaker

Ricardo Castro
Researcher
FIT Instituto de Tecnologia
Brazil

Agrophotovoltaic Benefits and Integration of Bees in Solar PV Plants

Speaker

Eduardo Ribeiro Guimarãres
CEO
AGF Ambiental
Brazil

Agribusiness and Solar Energy

Speaker

Lia Costa
Product Analyst
BYD Energy do Brasil Ltda.
Brazil

Biogas and Photovoltaics Have Great Potential for Hybrid Generation and H2 Production

Speaker

Priscila Alves dos Santos
Researcher & Electrical Engineer
FIT Instituto de Tecnologia
Brazil

Considerations on Agrophotovoltaic Applications in Brazil

Speaker

Dr. Marcelo Almeida
Professor
University of Sao Paulo
Brazil

Q&A