From pv magazine France.
French energy provider Total and German start-up Next2Sun have signed an agreement providing for the exclusive deployment of the Next2Sun solution, a vertical mounting technology for bifacial photovoltaic panels, on the French market, excluding the region of Alsace.
The mounting structure of Next2Sun allows vertically installed panels to exploit the incident solar radiation on their front and rear side and offer maximum performance during hours of high consumption, at dawn and at dusk. Protecting from the wind and the sun, occupying little space, and easily integrated into fencing between fields or other structures, the system is ideal for an agrivoltaic application.
Total, which recently announced its committment to agrivoltaics by signing a partnership with the group of agricultural cooperatives InVivo, intends to boost its activity in this sector.
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“Total Quadran is convinced that this innovative technology will make an essential contribution to the management of agricultural land by reducing competition between uses,” said Thierry Muller, General Manager of Total Quadran. “This partnership is part of our objective to work in concert with actors in the agricultural world in order to deploy 500 MW of agrivoltaic installations by 2025”.
The German start-up Next2Sun has launched a fundraising campaign on the Econeers platform which will end in ten days. To date, €500,000 has been raised. However, the company hopes to at least double this to raise €1 million.
Total Quadran said in early March that it aims to install nearly 500 MW of solar capacity on agricultural land by 2025, to generate enough power to meet the demand of more than 500,000 people. “We are convinced that cooperation between energy companies and stakeholders in the agricultural world can promote the growth of renewable energies in a way that benefits all stakeholders,” said at the time Muller.
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I would suggest that cattle, horses and goats would not be ideal partners for this form of agriphotovoltaic system – too likely to damage the panels. Sheep, or poultry would be far more likely to coexist well, or crops which benefit from shelter and increased humidity would be another option e.g cut flowers, salads, soft fruits.