New Solar Panel , Concept Could Help Drive the , Transition to Renewable Energy.<br />'The Independent' reports that researchers <br />believe a new renewable energy concept <br />has the potential to reduce the payback <br />period for solar panels to under five years.<br />The new concept was developed <br />by the University of Lisboa and <br />the Military Academy in Portugal.<br />The team's concept includes building solar farms <br />alongside "shadow friendly" crops through a system <br />known as agrivoltaics, otherwise referred to as Agri-PV.<br />The concept could help <br />the world's efforts to transition <br />to renewable energy sources.<br />According to researchers, the Agri-PV concept creates a , “union between agricultural <br />and energy productions.”.<br />This union could generate more <br />value than solar farms or <br />agricultural production alone.<br />'The Independent' reports that the concept <br />has gained feasability through the decreasing <br />cost of solar panels and the growing <br />need for new food and energy production. .<br />'The Independent' reports that the concept <br />has gained feasability through the decreasing <br />cost of solar panels and the growing <br />need for new food and energy production. .<br />These projects, besides <br />the fact they increase the <br />production of green energy and <br />reduce the consumption of <br />non-renewable energy sources, <br />also decrease the amount of CO2 <br />released to the atmosphere, Study authors, via 'The Independent'.<br />The projects’ payback periods <br />are around four-to-five years <br />and it is concluded that Agri-PV <br />is worth more than only PV <br />or only agriculture productions, Study authors, via 'The Independent'.<br />The team's concept was detailed <br />in a paper published in the journal <br />'Energy for Sustainable Development.'
