In this first year, the SENS-AR project, led by the Solar Energy Materials and Systems Department at IREC, has reached a new milestone with the successful completion of the prototyping phase of its multisensor platform for agrivoltaics monitoring. The project is now progressing into the next stage, focused on the adaptation and preparation of the demonstration system in a real-world agricultural environment, aiming to validate its performance under operational conditions.

The platform has been designed to simultaneously monitor the electrical performance of photovoltaic panels, environmental parameters, and soil conditions, offering a comprehensive solution to the challenges posed by the integration of solar energy production with agricultural activities. This integrated approach enables precise, real-time data collection to support more efficient resource management, optimize crop yields, and improve the long-term sustainability of agrivoltaics systems.

Developed using a modular, low-cost architecture, the system includes customizable sensor cells and a central unit that communicates wirelessly to aggregate and store data. After months of design and laboratory validation, the prototype is now being prepared for field installation in Gurb (Osona), where it will operate alongside a small PV installation in a real agricultural setting. This will allow the team to assess the platform’s robustness, data quality, and practical value for decision-making in both farming and energy generation.

SENS-AR is part of a broader strategy to digitize agriculture and support the transition to renewable energy. By combining field data with scalable sensor technology, the project contributes to the development of smarter, more resilient agrivoltaics infrastructures. The upcoming months will be key in demonstrating the impact and applicability of the platform, paving the way for its future transfer to the agricultural and energy sectors.

This initial result has enabled interaction with key stakeholders in the deployment of agrivoltaics solutions at both national and European levels, including Regenera Levante S.L. (a Spanish company specialized in renewable energy integration), UAB Rediga (a Lithuanian company focused on energy management software development), the Lithuanian Research Centre for Agriculture and Forestry (LAMMC) (a leading agricultural research institution in Lithuania), and the Applied Research Institute for Prospective Technologies (PROTECH) (a Lithuanian center with expertise in simulation and evaluation of photovoltaic systems). These entities have shown interest in the technology developed by IREC, recognizing its potential to improve the energy efficiency of greenhouses without compromising agricultural productivity.

Acknowledgements (in Catalan)

Actuació del Pla Estratègic de la PAC 2023-2027 cofinançada per: