Editing Solar energy (section)

==Agriculture and horticulture==
[[File:Westland kassen.jpg|thumb|[[Greenhouses]] like these in the Westland municipality of the Netherlands grow vegetables, fruits and flowers.]]
[[Agriculture]] and [[horticulture]] seek to optimize the capture of solar energy to optimize the productivity of plants. Techniques such as timed planting cycles, tailored row orientation, staggered heights between rows and the mixing of plant varieties can improve crop yields.<ref>{{cite web|title=Row Spacing, Plant Population, and Yield Relationships|author=Jeffrey C. Silvertooth|publisher=University of Arizona|url=http://ag.arizona.edu/crop/cotton/comments/april1999cc.html|access-date=24 June 2008}}</ref><ref>Kaul (2005), pp. 169–74</ref><ref name="agrPV">{{cite journal |last1=Faustino Ferreira |first1=Rafael |last2=Marques Lameirinhas |first2=Ricardo A. |last3=P Correia V Bernardo |first3=Catarina |last4=N Torres |first4=João Paulo |last5=Santos |first5=Marcelino |title=Agri-PV in Portugal: How to combine agriculture and photovoltaic production |journal=Energy for Sustainable Development |date=2024 |volume=79 |doi=10.1016/j.esd.2024.101408 |doi-access=free |bibcode=2024ESusD..7901408F }}</ref> While sunlight is generally considered a plentiful resource, the exceptions highlight the importance of solar energy to agriculture. During the short growing seasons of the [[Little Ice Age]], French and [[Solar power in the United Kingdom|English]] farmers employed fruit walls to maximize the collection of solar energy. These walls acted as thermal masses and accelerated ripening by keeping plants warm. Early fruit walls were built perpendicular to the ground and facing south, but over time, sloping walls were developed to make better use of sunlight. In 1699, [[Nicolas Fatio de Duillier]] even suggested using a [[Solar tracker|tracking mechanism]] which could pivot to follow the Sun.<ref>Butti and Perlin (1981), pp. 42–46</ref> Applications of solar energy in agriculture aside from growing crops include pumping water, drying crops, brooding chicks and drying chicken manure.<ref name="Leon 2006">Leon (2006), p. 62</ref><ref>Bénard (1981), p. 347</ref> More recently the technology has been embraced by [[Winemakers|vintners]], who use the energy generated by solar panels to power grape presses.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.novusvinum.com/news/latest_news.html#gonzales|title=A Powerhouse Winery|access-date=5 November 2008|work=News Update|publisher=Novus Vinum|date=27 October 2008}}</ref>

[[Greenhouse]]s convert solar light to heat, enabling year-round production and the growth (in enclosed environments) of specialty crops and other plants not naturally suited to the local climate. Primitive greenhouses were first used during Roman times to produce [[cucumbers]] year-round for the Roman emperor [[Tiberius]].<ref>Butti and Perlin (1981), p. 19</ref> The first modern greenhouses were built in Europe in the 16th century to keep exotic plants brought back from explorations abroad.<ref>Butti and Perlin (1981), p. 41</ref> Greenhouses remain an important part of horticulture today. Plastic transparent materials have also been used to similar effect in [[polytunnel]]s and [[row cover]]s.