Smart Net-Zero

April 15, 2026 | National Taiwan University (NTU) | (In Chinese)

A research team led by National Taiwan University (NTU), in collaboration with the Taiwan Agricultural Research Institute (TARI) and National Chung Hsing University (NCHU), has developed a foldable organic photovoltaic (OPV) system that enables greenhouses to approach energy self-sufficiency while maintaining crop productivity. Published in Cell Reports Physical Science on March 18, 2026, the study introduces an automated OPV module that dynamically opens and closes in response to real-time environmental conditions, providing shade during peak heat to reduce thermal load and irrigation demand while optimizing light transmission for photosynthesis. Field trials with melon crops demonstrated that reducing OPV deployment from 24 to 6 hours per day achieved dynamic balance between greenhouse electricity consumption and renewable energy generation without yield loss. The team highlights the technology's potential for integration with AI decision systems to advance a food-energy-water co-optimization model for sustainable facility agriculture.