Agrivoltaics, integrating photovoltaic systems with crop cultivation, demands semitransparent solar modules to mitigate soil shadowing.
Perovskite Solar Cells (PSC) offer competitive efficiency, low fabrication costs, and high solar transmittance, making them suitable for agrivoltaic applications. However, the impact of PSC light filtering on plant growth and transcriptomics remains underexplored. This study investigates the viability and agronomic implications of the growth of radicchio seedlings (Cichorium intybus var. latifolium) in laboratory-scale greenhouses integrating Perovskites-coated rooftops. Eu-enriched CsPbI3 layers are chosen to provide semi-transparency and phase stability while radicchio has limited size and grows in pots. Despite the reduced light exposure, radicchio seedlings exhibit faster growth and larger leaves than in the reference, benefiting from specific spectral filtering. RNA-sequencing reveals differential gene expression patterns reflecting adaptive responses to environmental changes.
Simulations of full PSC integration demonstrate a positive energy balance in greenhouses to cover annual energy needs for lighting, irrigation, and air conditioning.
Spampinato, C., Valastro, S., Calogero, G., Smecca, E., Mannino, G., Arena, V., Balestrini, R., Sillo, F., Ciná, L., La Magna, A., & Alberti, A. (2025). Improved radicchio seedling growth under CsPbI3 perovskite rooftop in a laboratory-scale greenhouse for Agrivoltaics application. Nature Communications, 16(1), 1-14. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-56227-9
Source: Nature Magazine