October 1, 2024
This article is adapted from the keynote presentation, “Green Agricultural Transformation—New Solutions for Agro-PV Symbiosis,” delivered at the 4th Taiwan Perovskite Technology and Application Forum.
Promate Group’s Chief Strategy Officer, Andy Chen, shares insights on perovskite agro-energy symbiosis.
Agro-energy symbiosis has long been a hot topic in Taiwan. As the development of renewable energy accelerates, an increasing number of companies are entering this field. However, finding a balance between agriculture and energy remains a challenge. TROPOX, a brand under Promate Group, has collaborated with Taiwan Perovskite Solar Corp to jointly develop perovskite solar panels and an intelligent greenhouse system—pioneering a new approach to agro-energy symbiosis. Promate Electronic advocates a core philosophy of “Agriculture First, Green Energy Value-Add, Micro Autonomy, and the Four-Energy Parallel,” aiming to drive agricultural transformation and create added value through green energy.
Modular Greenhouse Design Featuring Perovskite Solar Cells
The TROPOX solar greenhouse, equipped with perovskite solar cells, adopts a modular design that can be flexibly integrated with various systems, offering adaptable planning and deployment across the entire site. Just last year, this product was still in the Proof of Concept (POC) phase. At its own Qingpu factory, Promate Electronic conducted experiments by pairing perovskite solar panels with potted plants. The results revealed that even under 10%, 20%, and 30% shading, crops such as water spinach, romaine lettuce, leaf lettuce, and tomatoes continued to grow successfully—exceeding expectations.
In 2024, the perovskite solar greenhouse officially entered the Proof of Solution (POS) phase. In response to the unique properties of perovskite solar panels, TROPOX designed a dedicated modular structure that allows for easy cell replacement and reconfiguration of series and parallel connections.
Expanding the Greenhouse Scale: “Gaia III”
Beyond these features, Promate Electronic also expanded the scale of its greenhouse facilities with the newly built “Gaia III.” This greenhouse closely replicates the growing conditions of a real-world agricultural facility. Gaia III integrates energy storage, grid connection, and power management functions, while adding various sensors to enable energy self-sufficiency for the agro-energy system.
According to TROPOX’s power generation data, perovskite solar panels produce about 0.28 kWh of electricity per square meter per day, compared to 0.62 kWh for crystalline silicon panels. However, because regulations for agrivoltaics limit crystalline silicon panel coverage to 40% of the total area, perovskite solar panels can actually yield higher power generation over the same surface area.
“Gaia” Perovskite Greenhouse and TROPOX Energy Management System Model)
Future Developments
Looking ahead, TROPOX will further improve energy efficiency and develop self-powered sensors to enable data collection, energy storage, and grid-connected monitoring systems. The plan also includes cultivating fruits, flowers, and algae inside the greenhouse, along with automated environmental control technologies.
Promate Group’s innovative initiatives inject fresh thinking and dynamism into the agro-energy symbiosis field. Their successful case studies serve as a model for other enterprises, showcasing the limitless possibilities of agricultural transformation. As renewable energy continues to evolve, agro-energy symbiosis is poised to become increasingly significant, and TROPOX is leading the way in this green transition.
Original Article Link: Taiwan Perovskite Research & Industry Alliance Official Website