First Year Observations of Growing Solanaceous Vegetable Crops in an Agrivoltaic System in New Jersey

Abstract

The Rutgers Agrivoltaics Program (RAP) team is studying the potential of Agrivoltaics as an option to support New Jersey’s renewable energy goals, focusing on solar panel system design elements and economically important crops. This work contains results from the first growing season at the Rutgers Agricultural Research and Extension Center (RAREC), Bridgeton, New Jersey, in 2024. Eggplants (Palermo), bell pepper (Turnpike), and fresh-market tomato (Red Deuce) were produced under single axis trackers mounted with the axis of rotation at 2.4 m above ground level at two configurations using single-wide or double-wide bifacial modules, with spacing between the solar array rows of 10 m. Sub-plots were divided into five 17 m-long raised plastic mulch beds with drip irrigation spaced on 1.5 m centers. All activities were consistent with conventional agricultural practices for the region. Plants were transplanted on June 10 and 11, 2024, with the last harvest occurring on October 18, totaling 13 eggplant, 7 bell pepper, and 10 fresh-market tomato harvests. The effect of array type, East-West position, crop species, and distance from the solar array row on yield and fruit quality were studied. Total yield of all crops studied was lower at the rows closer to the solar panels, especially on eggplants, while quality of the fruit, expressed as the marketable percentage of the harvested fruit, was higher closer to the modules row for eggplant, but was unaffected for tomatoes and peppers.