Photovoltaic greenhouse
A roof that earns: PV on part of the structure, crop underneath, and the electricity goes to pumps, fans, lighting or the grid.
Photovoltaic modules are mounted on a dedicated section of the roof or on the ridge, integrated with the steel structure rather than bolted on afterwards. The crop keeps the light it needs; the array covers the house's own load and can export the surplus.
The design question is the light budget. Every square metre given to PV is a square metre the crop does not get, so the split is set by crop, season and the value of electricity in your market — not by how much roof is available.
Configurations
Own-use
Array sized to the house load, no export contract needed.
Export
Larger array where the grid connection and tariff justify it.
Hybrid
PV plus storage for night loads and outage cover.
Structure and covering specification
| Mounting | Integrated with the steel structure, fixed or single-axis |
| Cover | Glass or film, depending on the light budget |
| Typical share | 10–30 % of roof area, set by crop light requirement |
| Use of power | Pumps, fans, lighting, climate control, storage, grid export |
| Structure | Q235B frame calculated for panel dead load and wind |
Values are the standard range. Final dimensions, loads and covering are fixed per project against the site's climate data.
Questions buyers ask about this family
Does PV shading reduce yield?
It reduces light in the covered strip, so yield there falls unless the crop is shade-tolerant. Model it per crop and season before fixing the share; the electricity income may still win.
Can we add PV to an existing house?
Usually yes if the frame was calculated with spare capacity and the roof pitch suits the mounting. It needs a structural check first, not a bolted-on kit.
Other families and next reads
Put this family against your site
Send the country, the area and the crop. We reply with a configuration, a preliminary layout and the questions that change the price.