In 2015, Laurent Coulot (CEO), Mathieu Ackermann (CTO) and Florian Gerlich (Product Architect), came together to establish Insolight, a company based in Lausanne, Switzerland. For the past four years, Insolight has been working closely with growers and agronomic centres across Europe, focusing on development of agrivoltaic solutions that effectively serve as an agronomic tool for growers and respond to the needs of the farming community.
Insolight established a Global Partnership program that seeks to engage with companies throughout the value chain. In 2021, Migros Group joined this program and has been marketing energy-positive fruits cultivated under insolagrin agrivoltaic installations in their supermarkets for two years.
This agrivoltaic tool redefines traditional farming practices, replacing plastic tunnels, foils and nets with an innovative crop protection system that not only allows for continued agricultural activity, but also generates income in the form of yearly rent through electricity production. In some cases growers can also benefit from reduced electricity bills. One of the features of the insolagrin system is the possibility to integrate agronomic options. For instance, a dynamic shading screen that enables precise control over the microclimate beneath the installation can be integrated. This shading screen is piloted by a micro-climate management algorithm, developed by the Insolight team, which is tailor-made to optimise crop growth conditions based on the specific needs of the plants. Additionally, sensors for humidity, temperature, and irradiance provide real-time data on crop growth conditions, empowering growers to monitor and adjust the environment as needed.
The agronomic results from the 2023 growth season reinforce the impact of insolagrin installations. During the hottest summer months of July and August, the insolagrin system succeeded in maintaining a microclimate under the installation that was 2 to 3 degrees cooler compared to traditional plastic tunnels. Additionally, the berry production under the agrivoltaic panels demonstrated an impressive reduction of up to 50% in water consumption, an important benefit for growers.
In 2023, Insolight constructed five commercial agrivoltaic projects, covering 3 hectares, in different locations across Switzerland and France. These projects were built using various structures to suit different crops, which contributed to expanding the offering from berries to include other specialty crops such as fruit trees, grapes, vegetables, and ornamental plants. One notable project, spanning 1.6 hectares, developed in a partnership with Lubera and EW Buchs, where Insolight designed translucent PV modules for seamless integration within an innovative glass greenhouse.
Join us now in shaping a climate-resilient agriculture under the “PNRR”
The European Commission's has just approved a substantial €1.7 billion towards agrivoltaics in 2024, under the 'PNRR' scheme. The Insolight system, which falls within the “advanced agrivoltaics” category, is as an option to benefit from the PNRR. Project authorizations must be deposited very rapidly, before Feb 2023, in order to be eligible.
For more information:
Insolight
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