Design of an IoT-Enabled PLC Framework for Efficient Water Management and Crop Optimization in Agrivoltaic Systems

Abstract

This studyintroduces a refined approach to farming with sunlight, combining solar panels and crop growth while using connected sensors through long-range wireless signals alongside wiring data transfer. Farming under solar arrays saves space by producing food and electricity together on shared ground. Still, current setups struggle due touneven water delivery, unstable power handling, weak links among devices, and outdated plant behavior predictions when weather shifts occur.

One wayaround these drawbacks begins with anewdesign:an IoT-based smartwater control setup paired with dynamic crop models. Instead of relying on extra wiring, power line communication moves data quickly using current electrical lines. For field sensors spread far apart, LoRaWAN handles connections efficiently - long reach, little power needed. Data flows nonstop - from earth dampness toweather shifts to plantstate - shapingsmarter watering plans. Health tracking for crops gets sharper. Energy use adjusts in response. Scaling up stays affordable.

A key part of the system lies in its ability to fine-tune fertilizers according to both soil conditions and how crops develop over time. Because nutrients are applied more precisely, yields rise -alongside better use of water - while excess runoff and ecological harm drop off. Testing via MATLAB models, together with real-world examples, confirms gains across farming output, smarter watering practices, and improved energyoperations. When combined, programmable logic controls, long-range wireless communication, and smart nutrient handling open doors - not just for growing food sustainably - but also for sharing land wisely between farming and clean power generation.