Germany-based Schletter Group, manufacturers of aluminum and steel photovoltaic (PV) mounting systems, recently unveiled a newly developed Agri-PV system and a solar carport.

The company explains that its SolFarm Agri-PV system is designed to maximise both agricultural yield and energy output. The system is made up of vertical rows of modules that are mounted like a wall or fence. This configuration offers two advantages, the first is that it keeps land coverage to an absolute minimum. “We can get by with using less than 20% of the arable land with our SolFarm Vertical System. This means that more than 80% of the land can continue to be used for agriculture,” explains Schletter CTO Dr Cedrik Zapfe.

The second benefit of the design is an increase in the power yield. A vertical system with bifacial modules in an east-west orientation can generate PV power earlier in the morning and later in the evening. “The yield curve throughout the day becomes flatter and wider,” explains Zapfe. “Our tests have shown that this system actually produces higher yields than conventional systems." In addition, because PV electricity is scarcer in the morning and in the evening, the electricity generated can also be better marketed, he says.

SolFarm allows for two modules above one another and up to three modules side by side between the support posts.  The system can be installed on both flat and hilly terrain and its modular design and adjustable clamping positions help compensate for height variation in the terrain. The spacing of the rows is adjusted to the type of agriculture and is project dependent. With this new system, Schletter says it is expanding its product range and expertise in Agri-PV systems, adding that its 2P Tracking System is already in use on arable land around the world.

The company’s carport system, Schletter SunRide, is designed to ensure stability and durability and the best use of available parking space. Zapfe explains that while many carport systems are anchored to the ground with two or more supports, the Schletter system needs only one support. This allows for parking in a herringbone pattern, which means more vehicles can be parked in the same space as a perpendicular parking pattern. SunRide has two carport configurations which cater to either single-row or double-row parking lots and the modular design allows for expansion when required.