Growing Ganoderma Lucidum under Photovoltaic Solar Panels

Can agrivoltaic plants be grown under solar panels?

Plants considered intolerant to shading could be grown under solar panels under certain conditions. Benefits of agrivoltaics are also linked to reduced water consumption, improved crop protection and increased animal welfare. Increased global demand for food and energy implies higher competition for agricultural land.

What is Ganoderma lucidum?

Ganoderma lucidum is a species in the genus of Ganoderma with numerous pharmacological effects. It is named “Lingzhi” in Chinese. Lingzhi growth includes several different stages, such as mycelium, primordium, young and mature fruit bodies, and so on, and each stage has a unique set of requirements in nutritional factors and growth parameters.

Can we grow crops under solar panels instead of trees?

Traditionally, agricultural and agroforestry systems used multilayered plantings by, for example, cultivating shade-tolerant crops such as coffee under bananas. Now, with growing demand for clean energy but a paucity of empty land, researchers are exploring how to grow crops under raised solar panels (photovoltaics) instead of trees.

Does PV shading affect horticulture crop cultivation?

This mini review has reported experimental studies about the effect of PV shading on horticulture crop cultivation and a correlation between the growth parameters and the characteristics of PV installation, in terms of degree of roof coverage has been found.

Could agrivoltaic farming be a solution?

Agrivoltaic farming could be a solution to not just one but both of these problems. It uses the shaded space underneath solar panels to grow crops. This increases land-use efficiency, as it lets solar farms and agriculture share ground, rather than making them compete against one another.

Which crops can be grown under PV panels?

Tomato, lettuce, pepper, cucumbers and strawberries are the most studied crops under PV panels (Fig. 5). The recent literatures for applications of selective shading systems on the aforementioned crops and others plants are reviewed in the following sections.