Last Thursday, April 3, within the framework of the Beengro project coordinated by the efficient energy cluster of Catalonia, and with a Consortium formed by Innovi, Celler Cingles Blaus and Km0 Energy and funded by ACCIÓ and the Nuclear IRCs; A technical visit was made to the Nidoleres estate, located in Occitania (France). This operation houses one of the most advanced agivoltaism facilities applied to viticulture, developed by the pioneering company Sun'Agri. Other partners of Innovi, La Vinyeta, Torres and Freixenet family also participated; All of them are interested in deepening the knowledge of agivoltaism and its applications in the wine sector.

During the day, participants learned first hand the operation of this hybrid technology that integrates the production of photovoltaic solar energy with the cultivation of the vineyard. The system is based on a symbiosis: dynamic photovoltaic panels are automatically adjusted to protect the vine from climate ends, prioritizing the health of the plant or electric generation according to environmental conditions and the vegetative cycle.

In addition, the maturity of the French regulatory framework was highlighted, which clearly defines Agrivoltaism as an effective combination between agriculture and photovoltaic generation, as long as there is a demonstrable benefit for cultivation. Unlike Catalonia, where there is still no specific regulations, in France this model enjoys administrative facilities and more and more recognition in the wine sector.

The visited installation covers 4.5 hectares with varieties such as white Grenache, Chardonnay and Marselan. There are several algorithms of movement of the panels to study the specific impact on each variety. The provisional agronomic results show a significant improvement in the management of thermal stress, a reduction in the risk of frosts and heat strokes, a saving of water of up to 30% and a more slow maturation that promotes both the quality of the grapes and the aromatic profiles of the wines.

During the visit, the lessons learned from the beginning of the project were also shared in 2017. Among the key aspects, the importance of properly planning the access of the machinery to prevent soil compaction, the soft greenhouse effect that can protect the early springs, or the need to properly align the panels with the direction of rain to avoid accumulations of water that could favor illness.

With this departure, Innovi reaffirms its commitment to the transfer of technical knowledge and the promotion of adaptive solutions to climate change in the Catalan wine sector, especially those that can offer a double agronomic and energy benefit.