Improved Healthy Growth of Basil Seedlings under LSC Filtered Illumination

Luminescent Solar Concentrators (LSCs) have the potential for use in greenhouse roof panels to produce electricity while increasing agricultural productivity. Given that LSCs do not exhibit a perfect light trapping, part of the fluorescence light exits through the escape cone enriching the transmitted spectrum in the fluorescence band. This work concerns the evaluation of LSCs as modular devices for greenhouse building hence both the performances of LSC modules as well as the influence of this devices on basil seedlings growth was assessed. The LSC prototypes evaluated showed efficiencies ranging from 1.23 to 0.85% which, given the large surfaces involved by greenhouses, are sufficient to provide ventilation or provide water pumping. Basil seedlings were grown for three weeks under different LSC covers which in the case of red dyed LSC resulted in improved growth and health comparing to the seedlings grown under transparent PMMA.