Presentation on YouTube.

Agrivoltaics—the concept of placing solar photovoltaic panels over cropland—is considered a potential solution to the competing land demands of food and energy production. In this talk, I will discuss how dynamic photovoltaic panels can be adjusted to maximize power generation while also considering the sunlight needs of the crops. An optimal dual-axis photovoltaic panel formulation is proposed that adjusts the panel position to maximize power generation subject to crop requirements. The approach is demonstrated in a case study with two alternative scenarios: one that maximizes solar power generation and another that exclusively focuses on crop cultivation without photovoltaic panels. The last part of the talk will focus on how optimizing the operation of an agrivoltaic system allows us to better understand agrivoltaic systems as a resource connected to the power grid.

Bio: Anna Stuhlmacher is an assistant professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Michigan Technological University. Prior to joining Michigan Tech, she received her Ph.D. and M.S. degrees in electrical engineering from the University of Michigan in 2019 and 2023, respectively. She received her B.S. degree in electrical engineering from Boston University in 2017. Her research interests include the optimization of uncertain distributed energy resources.