Photovoltaic agricultural greenhouses

Innovative greenhouses: the example of the vanilla sector in La Réunion

The model developed in La Réunion combines an agricultural system designed in partnership with a farming cooperative with renewable energy production. The specially designed solar canopies create an ideal microclimate for vanilla cultivation:

• Controlled shading (75%),
• Temperature regulation,
• Reduced diseases and pests,
• Rainwater harvesting.

This model is replicable and adaptable to other protected crops, such as market gardening, tropical fruit production or horticulture.

Benefits for farmers:

• Optimal protection for sensitive crops,
• Reduced treatments and lower exposure to climatic risks,
• Stable production and improved product quality,
• Secured local agricultural value chains,
• Decarbonised energy production providing additional income,
• A model that can be replicated across different territories.

This solution perfectly illustrates Corsica Sole’s ambition: making solar energy a lever to strengthen agricultural territories.