Effects of Dynamic Agrivoltaics on Containerized Raspberry Plants: Results of the First Season

Abstract

Raspberries need to be protected from various stresses (radiative, thermal, hydric), and the Sun'Agri dynamic agrivoltaic system (DAV) could be a more sustainable solution than the plastic tunnels currently in use. Compagnie Nationale du Rhône (CNR) started a three-year experiment in 2023 to compare a dynamic agrivoltaic system (combined with insect proof nets) with a plastic tunnel serving as a control (CTL) in Dardilly (France) using ‘Kwanza’ rasp-berry containerized plants. The first year of experimentation revealed similar cumulative daily light integral between the two treatments over the growing season despite different patterns within the day. The protection from the DAV reduced mean air temperature by 1.8°C and increased mean relative humidity by 7.3% in comparison to the CTL. That improvement in the micro-environment was even more pronounced in the container substrate temperature. Daily maximum substrate temperatures were reduced by 5°C. The number of days reaching 35°C, that is considered deleterious for raspberries, was observed only four days in the DAV treat-ment versus 27 days in the CTL treatment. The less stressful micro-environment in the DAV was associated with water savings of 41%, increases in marketable yields and fruit weight of 32% and 39%, respectively. Satisfactory fruit quality was observed for both treatments. Two additional years of research will be performed to have a better understanding of raspberry performance cultivated in DAV.