Italian researchers compared the effects of a semitransparent perovskite solar PV, based on europium-enriched cesium lead triiodide (CsPbI3:EuI2), to a bare glass reference in a lab-scale greenhouse solar PV roof experiment to better understand the impact of light filtering on radicchio seedlings.
The results showed that despite the reduced light exposure, radicchio seedlings exhibited faster growth and larger leaves than the reference setup. They also estimated that such a greenhouse roof would provide a “positive energy balance” that could meet the energy demands of a typical greenhouse located in Italy.
Triggering the research was the idea that semitransparent solar modules can be used in agrivoltaics to mitigate shading effects that might otherwise be caused by conventional silicon PV. The team chose CsPbI3:EuI2 perovskite solar cell technology for its potential for high power conversion, low production costs, and its ability to provide spectral filtering and phase stability. However, a greater understanding of the cell technology on plant growth was required.
“For this reason, we applied a multidisciplinary approach to investigate the impact of perovskite light filtering on plant growth and transcriptomic responses, providing insights into their potential for agrivoltaic applications,” the corresponding author of the research, Salvatore Valastro, told pv magazine.
The radicchio plant was chosen for the experiment due to its size and ease of growing it in pots. The focus was on the initial stage of growth in laboratory-scale greenhouses with bare glass-filtered and perovskite-filtered light for 15 days. A tower equipped with 12 LEDs acted as a solar simulator.
The multidisciplinary project included examining the “various replicates of seed germination and seedling growth.” Functional responses of the plants to environmental change were examined, including ribonucleic acid (RNA) sequencing.
“The most surprising finding is that radicchio seedlings exhibit enhanced growth under the perovskite rooftop, with RNA sequencing revealing adaptive plant responses to environmental changes induced by the perovskite sunlight filtering,” said co-author, Raffaella Balestrini.
Indeed, the RNA-sequencing revealed “differential gene expression patterns” reflecting adaptive responses to environmental changes.
“Our findings highlight the promising impact of perovskite solar cells (PSC) on early-stage plant growth, opening the door for further multidisciplinary research on their application in controlled indoor crop production,” added Balestrini.
The laboratory-scale greenhouse compared the semitransparent solar cell material to conventional bare glass greenhouse roofing. The cell was a planar n-i-p device that sandwiched the perovskite between a titanium dioxide (TiO2) electron transporting layer (ETL) and a hole transport layer (HTL) made of poly-triarylamine (PTAA), with a fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) bottom electrode. The front and back cover glass material was 2mm thick.
After characterizing their CsPbI3:EuI2 solar cell, the researchers simulated its real-world application as a greenhouse roof located in Treviso, Italy, monitoring the photovoltaic performance for one year.
To calculate the PV energy yield required for greenhouse operations, the scientists drew on recent energy studies that established the annual requirements for heating, cooling, irrigation, and lighting. The team noted that cultivating leafy greens like radicchio or lettuce ranges requires from 1 kWh/m2 to 5 kWh/m2 for low-energy intensity structures, and for high-energy intensity greenhouses, it ranged from 83kWh/m2 to 222 kWh/m2, with variations based on geographical location.
A simulation of CsPbI3:EuI2 solar PV in real-scale installations indicated a production capacity of 243 kWh/m2, which the team said could satisfy the energy demands of high-intensity greenhouses for heating, cooling, lighting, and irrigation. The energy production estimates took into account the possible inaccuracies in the simulated performance, according to the paper.
The work is described in “Semi-transparent perovskite modules, extensive testing with overhead PV panels and solar simulation and RNA-sequencing techniques to evaluate gene expression changes resulting from varying light conditions,” published by nature communications. The team participating in the research had members from Italy’s National Research Council (CNR) Institute for Microelectronics and Microsystems, Università Degli Studi di Messina, and Cicci Research.
“Further research is ongoing to scale up to large systems in real-world conditions,” said co-author Alessandra Albert,
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