July 13, 2023 | ATRI, Taiwan | Source (in Chinese)
The Taitung District Agricultural Research and Extension Station under Taiwan's Ministry of Agriculture, has developed solar-powered agricultural machinery, including unmanned seeders and four-row paper tray transplanters. These innovations align with the government's net-zero policy and significantly enhance the efficiency of farmers' work.
The new solar-powered seeders can complete the work on one hectare of land in just two hours, a vast improvement over the 30 hours required for manual labor. They also reduce seed usage to only 20% for broadcasting and 30% for row seeding, resulting in even crop growth and easier subsequent management.
These developments build on the success of the station's 2018 creation of Taiwan's first solar-powered single-passenger seeder, which received significant attention from farmers. In recent years, the station's team has continued its efforts to develop more energy-efficient and environmentally friendly agricultural machinery, leading to the introduction of solar-powered unmanned seeders and four-row paper tray transplanters.
To address the potential issue of insufficient solar power during overcast weather, solar-powered agricultural machinery is equipped with batteries that allow farmers to plug them into electrical outlets for power when needed.
Furthermore, the compact size of these solar-powered machines allows them to be transported by small trucks weighing 3.5 tons. The solar panels have a lifespan of up to 20 years. The technology has been successfully transferred, contributing to environmentally friendly farming practices and increasing farmers' efficiency.
The Taitung District Agricultural Research and Extension Station intends to continue its research and development efforts to create different machine models for various crops in the future. These solar-powered innovations are expected to play a significant role in advancing sustainable agriculture in Taiwan while reducing the carbon footprint of farming operations.
