Solar Greenhouse Design for Maximum Energy Production in Electro-agriculture

The integration of solar panels onto greenhouses has given rise to solar greenhouses, where solar panels are installed over the roof to enable solar energy generation. This paper investigates the dimensioning of the structure design of a single-slope greenhouse, aiming at maximizing the energy generation. We provide a mathematical model for the greenhouse structure and the solar irradiance, from which an optimization-based method is introduced to determine such dimensions. The arising non-linear optimization problem is solved numerically, with real-world data based on the Mediterranean climates. The convergence results of the problem formulations are discussed. Finally, a sensitivity analysis is performed on the most critical parameters, such as costs, budget, and dimensional requirements, highlighting how each influences the overall energy generation.