Solar Radiation PV Greenhouse Calculator
1- Why use Solar Radiation PV Greenhouse Calculator?
The Solar Radiation PV Greenhouse Calculator by Hortinergy is a powerful tool designed to simulate key lighting parameters in photovoltaic greenhouses. It calculates light levels, solar radiation, PAR (Photosynthetically Active Radiation), and DLI (Daily Light Integral) reaching the crop canopy—helping you optimize both energy generation and plant growth.
As the global focus shifts toward sustainable agriculture and clean energy, combining crop production with renewable electricity is more important than ever. Photovoltaic (PV) greenhouses offer a promising solution by integrating solar panels into the greenhouse structure. However, many PV greenhouse projects are still being designed primarily to maximize electricity production, often at the expense of crop health and yield.
This is where the Solar Radiation PV Greenhouse Calculator becomes essential. Without proper balance, excessive shading from PV panels can significantly reduce light transmission into the greenhouse, leading to agronomic failure due to insufficient PAR radiation and reduced photosynthesis.
The Hortinergy PV Solar Radiation PV Greenhouse Calculator helps you accurately simulate and evaluate how different PV panel configurations affect solar light availability inside the greenhouse. It enables you to:
- Assess light transmission, PAR, and DLI throughout the year
- Visualize solar radiation patterns on the crop canopy
Balance energy production with crop requirement
- Optimize panel layout and transparency for maximum efficiency
Whether you’re a greenhouse designer, project developer, or researcher, the Solar Radiation PV Greenhouse Calculator supports informed decision-making. It ensures that your photovoltaic greenhouse design meets both energy goals and plant needs—avoiding costly design errors and ensuring agronomic success.
With Hortinergy PV, you can confidently size and simulate your PV greenhouse project to find the best compromise between electricity generation and crop productivity.
2- How does a Solar Radiation PV Greenhouse Calculator work?
Hortinergy PV considers:
- Sun position: hourly position
- Greenhouse dimension, type, orientation…
- Structure (PV panel, frame) shade / transparency, absorption and inner/outer reflexion based on material properties
- Solar /PAR transmission of transparent cover material properties
- Shade from one chapel to another chapel according to sun position, cover…
- Crop and soil reflexion (including multi-reflexion to/from frame and transparent cover from/to canopy)
- Solar radiation /PAR going outside the greenhouse (roof, sides)
Inputs of the PV greenhouse calculator are:
- Greenhouse dimension, type, orientation, shape, symmetrical/ asymmetrical
- PV panel specification: single or double face, transparency
- Transparent cover specification
Outputs of the PV greenhouse simulator are:
- average hourly radiation / DLI reaching canopy in an Excel file
- monthly summary in a PDF report
3- Need more accurate light simulation for your PV greenhouse with the Solar Radiation PV Greenhouse Calculator?
We can provide, with Hortinergy PV Desktop, advanced calculation.
Input: any patchwork combining any types of solar panel and / or transparent cover.
Outputs: User designs a grid in the greenhouse. Software calculates solar radiation reaching canopy at any locating of the defined grid for a specific height. Output is an Excel file with hourly of solar radiation / PAR in each point of the grid.
With Hortinergy, you can simulate screens, semi-closed greenhouse, energy consumption, sustainability, cannabis greenhouse, supplemental lighting, and calculate carbon tax rebate. We also provide trainings on energy consumption to become a greenhouse designer.
Hortinergy is an online software. You can choose your offer, create an account and start your project.