No. 755: Photovoltaic generation on farmland without impairing the growth of crops (August 8, 2013)

Technology:

Kazusa DNA Research Institute developed a basic technology of solar battery installable on the farmland that hardly impairs the growth of farm products. The new technology generates electricity using only short-wavelength light and transmits long-wavelength light vital to the growth of farm products. The newly developed solar battery is translucent, and two kinds of electrodes and electrolytes are put between the two sheets of glass. Pigment molecules attached to the surface of the electrodes absorb light with a wavelength of 400-600 nanometers, which is equivalent to the wavelength of blue and green, to generate electricity, while transmits long-wavelength light like red vital to the growth of plants.

Photovoltaic generation on farmland

The company has accumulated lots of research results on plant genes and found pigments usable for the new type of solar battery from plant. The company will collaborate with Toin University of Yokohama to develop a film solar battery based on this basic technology because it is impossible to apply glass solar batteries in farmland. The two organizations plan to install the solar batteries on plants and research their influence on the growth of plants in detail. They wish to put the new technology into practical use in three years.

This technology will help Japanese farmers stabilize management of their farmland because the deregulation enacted by the government at the end of March allowed farmers to get revenue from selling electricity. In fact, the number of farmers involved solar sharing by which they can sell electricity by photovoltaic generation while managing their farm business is on the rise.   

Photovoltaic generation on farmland