An innovative project is being developed at The University of Tulsa that brings together biology and physics to better understand how solar energy impacts crop growth and water use. The team is led by Parameswar Harikumar, Ph.D., professor of physics & engineering physics, and Akhtar Ali, Ph.D., professor of biological science. The students involved are physics seniors Joseph Blackstad and Daniel Naranjo. From their collaboration, they hope to revolutionize Oklahoma agriculture toward a solar-powered solution.
Previous studies focused on animals grazing under the shade of photovoltaic panels on solar farms. These findings, while specific to geographic locations, missed crucial data on measuring efficiency in plant yields or resource use in shorter crops, such as strawberries or soybeans. To fill these gaps, UTulsa researchers are working to integrate the dual use of a single patch of land, generating electricity and food while making farming more efficient and sustainable.
The Implementation of Agrivoltaics Stations project is designed to collect data on how crops perform under full sunlight, partial shading from solar panels and greenhouse conditions. Harikumar and Ali are leading the team in researching the soil pH, water consumption, humidity, sunlight intensity and plant growth metrics. From the research’s dual interest in solar power, the solar panels’ performance is also tracked under microclimatic conditions.
Construction for the project started in the late summer. Blackstad completed the fence enclosure and installed two solar trackers and their panels with the electrical infrastructure. The plot of land is 20 by 22 feet, providing ample space to monitor plants across varying levels of shade. Naranjo performed the agricultural maintenance and experimentation, making sure the crops received proper care and recording measurements.