Caviro inaugurates agri-voltaic mega-plant that will protect vineyards

A maxi agri-voltaic plant on a vineyard that will produce energy and at the same time protect the vineyards from extreme weather events. A new plant with almost 1,400 solar panels covering a total surface area of 1.5 hectares was inaugurated today in Forlì. It was built by the Caviro Group, one of Italy's leading wine cooperatives, producer of popular brands such as Tavernello but which also has many denomination of origin labels in its product portfolio. The plant inaugurated today required an investment of €1.5 million, was realised in one year's work and consists of 63 single-axis trackers and 1,386 double-sided solar panels. The annual output will be 1,300,000 KWh of electricity and represents a decisive step forward on the path towards energy self-sufficiency undertaken by Caviro.

The new Agrivoltaic plant will provide two specific functions: the production of clean renewable energy and the protection of the vineyard.

The model in fact has been designed," explain Caviro, "to return the best possible inclination for the photovoltaic panels and ad hoc calibrations, thus protecting the vines from hail and wind damage and spring frost, while taking advantage of the correct sun and light input for sufficient photosynthesis. This is thanks to software that collects and analyses incoming data and allows the panels to orient themselves to optimise solar energy absorption and ensure the right balance between shade and light. Reducing the direct exposure of the rows to sunlight will also save the plants' water requirements in a percentage that will be monitored and studied by the company in the coming years.

"The wine-growing industry lends itself to the 'dual' use of soil, related to agricultural and energy production," explained Caviro's CEO Giampaolo Bassetti. Given the vine's characteristics as a markedly heliophilic plant, the challenge that Caviro intends to undertake with this pilot project is to understand whether the undisputed energy value can also be combined with an overall more sustainable vineyard, where quantity and quality are not altered, and the photovoltaic coverage succeeds in mitigating the damage caused by extreme climatic events".

The growth of the vines in the plant will be compared to that of the plants in the open field, allowing researchers to verify the productivity of the plants and the quality of the fruit, and to understand whether or not wine production is compatible with photovoltaic energy production.