A new agrivoltaic project in Botswana is making full use of the land on which it is being developed.

The Botswana University of Agriculture and Natural Resources (BUAN) is using the land to cultivate food and to generate 1 MW of solar power, reports ITWeb.

The solar technology uses a single-axis tracking system that tracks the sun and is more efficient at harvesting the sun’s energy than fixed systems.

Its glass bifacial panels allow light to be reflected from the plants and soil to improve electricity generation.

‘As far as we can tell, there is not a single plant of this size built anywhere in the world, coupled to a university for research and agrivoltaic development,’ according to Andreas Bottinger, chief executive officer of MarketVest, which is partnering BUAN in high-impact renewable energy and water purification projects.

4 April 2023
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