Experimental development and numerical modeling of energy system performance in smart greenhouses with agrivoltaic systems in low-latitude regions

The development and use of artificial lighting systems and artificial climate control systems is a trend in 21st century agriculture. Similarly, photovoltaic systems, which are reliable, technologically mature, economically competitive, and sustainable, are applied to greenhouses within the concept of agrivoltaic systems. In this context, the energy efficiency of greenhouses is a contemporary theme. This study is part of a research project carried out under the R&D program regulated by the Brazilian National Electric Energy Agency (ANEEL) and developed two prototypes of smart greenhouses for the protected cultivation of banana and orchid seedlings. The smart greenhouses are in Alpestre/RS and Santa Rosa do Sul/SC, in southern Brazil, and have been operational since October 2022. The greenhouses feature control and automation systems, bioclimatic architecture and strategies and power systems (artificial lighting system, artificial heating system, evaporative cooling system and photovoltaic system). A sensor network monitors internal environmental variables, and an automatic weather station monitors external environmental variables. A computer system based on artificial intelligence is responsible for the autonomous control of greenhouses. This article presents the development, application, and analysis of energy systems in greenhouses, defined using computer modeling and simulation tools. It also describes methods for estimating power consumption based on system operating assumptions and profiles. The energy performance of the agrivoltaic system and the overall energy balance of the power systems are presented. The smart greenhouses are near zero energy buildings.