Conthey VS – Raspberries achieve as much sugar content and weight under a roof of Insolight as in a greenhouse. This is the result of a pilot project conducted by Agroscope, Insolight and Romande Energie. At the same time, 10.5 megawatt hours of electricity could be generated on 165 square meters.
The insolagrin photovoltaic solution from Lausanne-based start-up Insolight has proven its worth in a pilot project in Conthey. This involved comparing the growth of raspberries under the photovoltaic roof with cultivation in a conventional greenhouse between July 2021 and March 2023. Both sugar content and weight were virtually identical, Insolight wrote in a statement. At the same time, 165 square meters generated 10.5 megawatt hours of solar power.
The test result indicates that insolagrin can produce 15 to 20 tons of raspberries per hectare and 1 gigawatt hour of electricity per year. At the same time, the use of plastic for the cover can be eliminated. Mathieu Ackermann is satisfied with the pilot project. “The results show that insolagrin delivers on our promise: equal yield and quality of agricultural production while producing renewable energy on the same land.”
Insolagrin regulates light transmission: if the light passes the solar cells, it benefits the growth of the plants. When the light rays are optically focused on the solar cells, on the other hand, electric current is generated and the system becomes an intelligent shade provider.
Agroscope – the federal agricultural research institute – and Romande Energie are also involved in the pilot project. It is supported by the Federal Office of Energy. ce/stk
