The US solar company iSun, Inc. (“iSun”) and the German agrivoltaics pioneer Next2Sun Mounting Systems GmbH (“Next2Sun”) have been cooperating since the beginning of 2023 to jointly establish Next2Sun’s vertical agrivoltaics system in the USA. Construction of the first agrivoltaics plant with Next2Sun system will begin in Vermont in early 2024.
For 50 years, iSun has enabled the important transitions of our world by accelerating the adoption of proven technological innovations that improve our lives. From the clean rooms that enabled silicone chip production, to the telecommunication installation services that connected industries and consumers to the internet, iSun has enabled the most important technological transformations of the last century. While these technologies and our capabilities have changed over the years, our commitment to accelerating the adoption of proven, world-changing technologies has remained steadfast. Today, iSun believes that clean renewable solar energy is the most important investment we can make. We are driven to use our capabilities to accelerate the transition from dirty to clean energy.
Next2Sun is the inventor, innovation and technology leader in vertical bifacial photovoltaics. The basic concept of vertically installed, bifacial solar modules shifts solar power production to times of usually low availability and avoids the overbuilding of agricultural land. For the success of the energy transition, this means fewer conflicts of use, better coverage of electricity demand and lower storage requirements.
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Next2Sun has developed a wide range of products based on the vertical bifacial system technology and the patented frame system developed for it, and brought them to market maturity, in particular the vertical bifacial agrivoltaics system and the bifacial solar fence. As a result, Next2Sun today offers solutions for a variety of applications for the agricultural, public, commercial and private sectors as a multi-award-winning market and technology leader.
The first common agrivoltaics project of Next2Sun and iSun will be realised in Vermont at the beginning of 2024. On an area of 3.7 acres, 69 vertical rack elements, each with 2 bifacial solar modules, will be installed at a distance of 30 ft. 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,” says 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 north-east of the USA. The vertical Next2Sun system always produces electricity when conventional PV systems are producing less.”
SOURCE : BusinessWire