Source: PVT CLEAN ENERGY LLC submitted to NRP
THERMAL MANAGEMENT AND ENERGY HARVESTING IN A SOLAR GEOTHERMAL GREENHOUSE FOR IMPROVED PLANT PRODUCTION
Sponsoring Institution
National Institute of Food and Agriculture
Project Status
COMPLETE
Funding Source
SMALL BUSINESS GRANT
Reporting Frequency
Annual
Accession No.
1030451
Grant No.
2023-33530-39686
Cumulative Award Amt.
$175,000.00
Proposal No.
2023-00926
Multistate No.
(N/A)
Project Start Date
Jul 1, 2023
Project End Date
Feb 29, 2024
Grant Year
2023
Program Code
[8.13]- Plant Production and Protection-Engineering
Recipient Organization
PVT CLEAN ENERGY LLC
7 INDUSTRY ST # 5
POUGHKEEPSIE,NY 12603
Performing Department
(N/A)
Non Technical Summary
A large number of greenhouses use solar power in a passive fashion - letting sunlight pass through transparent plasticcover or glasses. However, the maximized sunlight does not turn to the maximized production for low-light plants, such as lettuce, asparagus, cabbage, etc. On the other hand, the costs for maintaining temperatures ina greenhouse can represent as much as 30% of the variable costs annually of which almost75% is just forheating and about 15% goes toward electricity. In addition, relying on fossil fuels as the main sources to heat the greenhouses contribute to the accumulated greenhouse gas emissions and global warming effect.This project studies a proposed greenhouse that utilizes solar panels coupled with geothermal energy for the dual synergetic benefits of: 1) improved energy harvesting and management toward zero-net-energy agriculture, 2) controlled environmental agriculture (CEA) with light, temperature and moisture for improved plant production. The advanced building integrated photovoltaic-thermal (BIPVT) panels with partial transparent solar cell coverage are installed on the south-facing roof of a solar greenhouse to generate photovoltaic (PV) electricity and collect heat; the electricity can be stored in a battery array for electricity backup and directly used for extended LED light for lettuce growth; a passive bi-directional geothermal heat exchange system storesheat in summer and release in winter by a smart thermal management system and; the sensing and control system will monitor energy usage and distribution for smart operation. The advanced greenhouse proposed in this project not only results in low-cost andsustainable plant production with improved qualitybut also contributes the path toward zero-emission agriculture.
Animal Health Component
50%
Research Effort Categories
Basic
10%
Applied
50%
Developmental
40%
Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)Subject of Investigation (SOI)Field of Science (FOS)Percent
4025330202080%
2032410106020%
Knowledge Area
203 - Plant Biological Efficiency and Abiotic Stresses Affecting Plants; 402 - Engineering Systems and Equipment;

Subject Of Investigation
5330 - Farm structures and related facilities; 2410 - Cross-commodity research--multiple crops;

Field Of Science
2020 - Engineering; 1060 - Biology (whole systems);
Goals / Objectives
This project covers agriculturally-related manufacturing technology, energy efficiency, and alternative and renewable energy. Solar energy harvesting and thermal management with a passive bi-directional geothermal system will significantly improve the energy efficiency of the system with the ultimate goal of a net-zero energy farm by using solar and geothermal energy. The 8-month Phase I Program will focus on the design and laboratory test of the solar geothermal components, and assessment of the technical and economic feasibility of the greenhouse technology. A successful Phase I will lead to a scalable BIPVT-geothermal greenhouse prototype for field testing in Phase II.In Phase I, we will achieve the following two technical objectives:(1) Fabricate a small laboratory-scale prototype with all components for material characterization and operational testing, system integration, and demonstration.(2) Design an actual greenhouse for field testing in Phase II and predict the performance from the component test results for benefit-cost analysis of the greenhouse system.
Project Methods
This comprehensive research paradigm covers from lab experiments to field demonstration, from modeling to validation, from sensing to control, and from research to extension. The collaborative research will integratethe expertise of energy harvesting technologies (EHT) scientistswith controlled environment agriculture (CEA) experts. A comprehensive literature review will be performed to study the state-of-the-art technologies in this area. The research team will work on running simulation models and doing comparative studies with the physical experiments to validate the model. The components of the system will be designed and built to perform small-scale experiments.The energy and plant growth models developed in the laboratory will be validated by field tests and extended to the industry.Furthermore, the team will have regular meetings with the program directors to stay on track during the progress of the project. The team will work closely with the farm management and the county to implement the plans, in addition to field testing and demonstration of various extension activities

Progress 07/01/23 to 02/29/24

Outputs
Target Audience:This project targeted and benefited the following groups: • Food and agriculture scientists and researchers • Farmers and greenhouse owners and workers • Solar panel manufacturers • Geothermal energy contractors • Outreach to high school and university students • Remote communities with less access to the grid or natural gas • General public Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?This project provides the opportunity for the public as well as the professional community to learn about the advantages of the smart solar-geothermal greenhouse. This project could be useful specifically for the farmers to implement the system in their farms toward net-zero greenhouses. In addition, the work will be covered by the Cornell Cooperative Extension of Putnam County to educate the students, community, and professionals. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?The team has fileda non-provisional patent with the United States Patent and Trademark Office. Also, a provisional patenthas been filed as a result of this project. A manuscript will be prepared to publish the findings and outcomes of thisproject. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Nothing Reported

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? The team was able to accomplish the following: 1. A building integrated photovoltaic thermal (BIPVT) panel prototype has been designed and manufactured. In addition, both field and performance testing of the panels have been done. 2. Two initial designs have been prepared for the passive heat exchange system, and a prototype has been manufactured to test the operation of this unit. 3. Geothermal borehole modelinghas been prepared. In addition, the team has collected continuous temperature data for three geothermal boreholes at different depths. 4. A solar-geothermal greenhouse structure has been designed and the structure is optimized for the current project.

Publications


    Progress 07/01/23 to 02/29/24

    Outputs
    Target Audience:This project will target and benefit the following groups: • Food and agriculture scientists and researchers • Farmers and greenhouse owners and workers • Solar panel manufacturers • Geothermal energy contractors • Outreach to high school and university students • Remote communities with less access to the grid or natural gas • General public Changes/Problems:There have not been any major changes in the project. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?This project provides the opportunity for the public as well as the professional community to learn about the advantages of theadvanced solar-geothermal greenhouse. This project could be useful specifically for the farmers to implement the system in their farms toward net-zero greenhouses. In addition, the work will be covered by theCornell Cooperative Extension of Putnam County to educate the students, community and professionals. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?The team has filed a non-provisional patent with theUnited States Patent and Trademark Office. Also, a couple of more provisional patents will be filed in the upcoming weeks as a result of this project. Once the final report is submitted, several manuscripts will be prepared to publish the findings and outcomes of the proposed project. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?After the geothermal boreholes are drilled, we will be doing some field testing to validate the results from the models. In addition, the prototypes of the passive heat exchanger and the BIPVT panels will be completed. Materials and tools will be purchased to manufacture the heat pipes in-house, as the current heat pipes in the market do not accommodate the project's needs. Furthermore, anoptimized system will be designed to incorporate all the components into the solar-geothermal greenhouse.

    Impacts
    What was accomplished under these goals? So far, the project had successful outcomes and the following goals have been accomplished: Building integrated photovoltaic thermal (BIPVT) panel prototypeshave been designed and manufactured. In addition, both field and performance testing of the panels has been done. Two initial designs have been prepared forthe passive heat exchange system, and a prototype has been manufactured to test the operation of this unit. Geothermal borehole modeling has been prepared and simulations are currently ongoing for this model. In addition, the team will do some in-situ testing soon. A solar-geothermal greenhouse structure has been designed and the structure is optimized for the current project.

    Publications