U.S. solar developer iSun is working with German agrivoltaics mounting company Next2Sun to jointly develop a vertical agrivoltaic system in the United States. iSun will install Next2Sun’s first U.S. system in Vermont next year.
Next2Sun has a vertically installed mounting system for bifacial solar panels that is ideal for agriculture-based installations. It shifts solar power production to times of low availability and avoids overbuilding on agricultural land.
Next2Sun’s first U.S. installation will be on a 3.7-acre site in Vermont, using 69 vertical rack elements — each with two bifacial solar panels. Vegetables such as carrots and beetroot as well as saffron will be planted between the rows.
“The Next2Sun system is an excellent supplement to our product portfolio,” said iSun CEO Jeffrey Peck. “Thanks to the vertical mounting of the modules and the adaptability of the installation to the needs of the farmer, the valuable land is almost completely preserved for agriculture.”
Next2Sun AG CEO Heiko Hildebrandt is also looking forward to the collaboration: “In iSun, we have found a partner who, like us, wants to accelerate the energy transition. With our vertical bifacial agrivoltaics system, we can make an important contribution to this, especially in areas such as the northeast of the USA. The vertical Next2Sun system always produces electricity when conventional PV systems are producing less.”
This project is supported by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action as part of the Renewable Energy Solutions Programme of the German Energy Solutions Initiative.
News item from iSun