The Nufri group has begun the deployment of the first operational agri-voltaic plant on agricultural holdings in Lleida. The installation is located in Vilanova de Segrià and combines the production of renewable energy with fruit cultivation.
The plant has 1,400 solar panels on metal structures that rise above the fruit trees. This arrangement allows agricultural activity to be maintained while generating electricity for self-consumption.
Mobile panels protect fruit from extreme heat
The technology installed on the Indulleida farm has a power of 900 kW and includes storage batteries. The total investment amounts to 1.4 million euros and has the prior authorization of the Generalitat de Catalunya.
The photovoltaic modules are mobile and adjust their orientation throughout the day. Their function is not only energetic but also agronomic. The panels cast shade on apple and pear trees during episodes of intense heat to regulate the temperature.
This system seeks to avoid thermal stress in crops. The project's priority is to maintain agricultural yield above the electricity generation potential.
A second floor awaits the go-ahead from Urbanism in Puiggròs
The firm processes before the regional administration a second installation in Puiggròs. This new project presents similar characteristics to the one in Vilanova de Segrià and foresees an investment of 1.6 million euros.
The Les Garrigues plant already has administrative and construction authorization. Only the approval of the Urban Planning commission remains to begin the works.
Both initiatives are part of the company's R&D projects. Nufri also foresees a third plant in Soria. The objective is to compare the quality and quantity of fruit tree production under solar panels versus those grown in the open air.
This implementation marks the step from the experimental to the real phase in Lleida. The technology was previously tested at the Institut de Recerca i Tecnologia Agroalimentària (IRTA) in Mollerussa.