A research paper published online in the academic journal Nature Communications, part of Springer Nature, on the morning of March 12th (Beijing time), presents agricultural research indicating that the use of laboratory-scale perovskite solar cell greenhouse roofs may be associated with faster growth and larger leaves in chicory seedlings. The authors believe their study provides evidence of the feasibility of combining perovskite photovoltaic systems with crop cultivation to support sustainable agricultural development, demonstrating the potential to promote indoor food production.
The paper explains that traditional methods of combining agricultural activities with renewable energy production require opaque silicon solar cells, which block sunlight and hinder plant growth. Semitransparent perovskite solar cells, which convert sunlight into electricity, may offer a solution, serving as a flexible, scalable, and cost-effective technology for integrating energy production and agriculture. However, the impact of light filtering on plant growth has not been fully studied.
In this study, Alessandra Alberti, co-corresponding author from the Institute of Microelectronics and Microsystems (IMM) of the Italian National Research Council (CNR), and her colleagues designed a laboratory-scale greenhouse with a semitransparent perovskite-coated roof (consisting of four glass panels, each 2.5×2.5 centimeters in size) and observed chicory seed germination and seedling growth under perovskite-filtered light for 15 days. They found that seedlings grown under the perovskite-coated roof grew faster and had larger leaves compared to those grown in a greenhouse with a glass roof without the perovskite coating.
The researchers further analyzed differences in gene expression patterns between seedlings grown under perovskite solar cells and those grown under uncoated glass. Although the overall condition of the seedlings was similar, they found minor expression differences in genes related to environmental stress response, metabolism, growth regulation, and light perception in seedlings grown under perovskite solar cells. They believe these seedlings may have adapted to growth under perovskite conditions. However, further research is needed to explore the impact of these adaptations on enhancing crop yields and agricultural output in indoor environments.
The authors conclude that the results of this study demonstrate the potential of perovskite solar cells to assist in indoor food production.
