Supervisor : Nadine Witkowski
Contact : nadine.witkowski@upmc.fr
Funding : INSP Sorbonne-Université
keywords : Experimental, Internship M1, and Internship M2
Gratification : Oui
Team(s) internship page(s) : Chemical Physics and Dynamics of Surfaces  
Internship description

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Keywords: agrivoltaics, solar panel installation, conception
Scientific description: The energetic transition Europe has to face imposes the deployment of large solar farms mobilizing natural surfaces that can endanger the local biodiversity. It is then recommended to favor co-use of artificial soil to limit the impact of solar farms in natural areas. Whereas silicon technology for solar cells is at mature and commercial level, this technology presents weaknesses such as shading of the agricultural surface which can lead to lower yields or later maturation. Moreover, it requires large footprint that limits the type of crop that could benefit from such installation. The emergent technology of flexible, semi-transparent organic solar cells (OSC) is reaching nowaday commercial level with very promising efficiency already obtained in labs.
In the present project, we aim at comparing how solar cells of different technologies namely silicon vs OSC impact the growth of crop on a quantitative basis. For such a purpose, a dedicated installation will be conceived and realized, it will consist of modules integrating : lightening, watering, adaptable solar panel frame, crop growth with possibility of in-situ measurements of temperature, transmittance, biomass …
The objective of the internship goes from the conception of the dedicated installations while respecting the specifications imposed by the protocol, to the realization and implementation of the modules. The trainee will have to integrate in a compact and versatile module the specification and will have a dedicated budget for the realization. The trainee will also be encouraged to participate to data and analysis acquisition during growth of crop. The project will be supervised by N. Witkowski from INSP (physics characterization and module conception) and E. Gendreau from IEES (biological aspects and module conception), in collaboration with University of Southern Denmark, OPV group lead by M. Madsen for flexible solar cells supply.
The project can start during the fall for the conception, the final realization of the modules will be expected no later than March2023.
Applicant skills: Conception of prototype with high degree of specification and prototyping