Implementing Agrivoltaics in Suburban Small Farms: A Solar Tree Prototype

This paper presents a solar tree prototype for implementing agrivoltaics in small suburban farms. Agrivoltaics integrates photovoltaic power generation and agricultural activities, minimizing competition between energy and food production. While technical aspects of agrivoltaics are well-studied, its implementation remains challenging, especially for small farms. The prototype uses IoT, 3D printing, and commercial components. Design principles, structure, solar-to-electricity conversion, and solar tracking mechanisms are discussed. Experiments had been conducted to enhance light-dependent resistor (LDR) accuracy for tracking, exploring shielding and tradeoffs.