Solar Agriculture?

Solar energy is now fundamental, given the consequences of the climate change. However, solar panel parks with the quantities needed will demand enormous space on fairly flat land. The challenge will be to sacrifice farm-land for a constantly growing world population. However, recent progress with transparent solar panels can also be combined with agriculture.
Large structures supporting the solar panels may permit sufficient light for farming below. Some crops can even have a certain advantage by the protection from scorching sun and violent down-pours of tropical rains.

A totally planar surface is important for solar panels. Such support structures, often in form of space frames, are today mostly made from aluminium profiles, often more expensive than the solar panels they support. The same structures could actually be made from bamboo, a local material made resistant to insects by low-toxic borax treatment. The cost difference compared to aluminium is gigantic. In addition, the benefits for rural livelihoods are obvious.

Space frame structures of 16 x 16 m can be built allowing 4 m gaps for drainage/irrigation canals and access paths in between. Such a single unit 16x16 could already be instrumental to an evaluation of the concept.

SpaceFrames...,PetCrown...