Voltiris brings agrivoltaics to Dutch strawberry greenhouse

Voltiris, the Lausanne-based agrivoltaics company, will equip Genson Group’s strawberry greenhouse in the Netherlands with nearly 2,000 of its spectral filtering solar modules, covering one hectare of production area. Genson, a key supplier to Bakker Barendrecht, Albert Heijn’s strategic partner for fresh fruit and vegetables, operates 16 production sites across the Netherlands and supplies fresh strawberries to retail and young plants to professional growers across Europe. The project marks Voltiris’ fourth one-hectare installation, with eight planned by the end of 2026 across Switzerland, France, and the Netherlands.

Voltiris’ spectral filtering modules split incoming sunlight into two components: photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) passes through to the crop unaffected, while near-infrared light, the heat-carrying component, is captured and converted into on-site electricity, generating up to 25 kWh per m² per year and reducing crop temperatures by 3–5°C under direct sun. For strawberry cultivation, this cooling effect is particularly valuable: excessive summer heat causes forced fruit development, resulting in smaller, lower-value produce. Trials at Delphy IC and Proefcentrum Hoogstraten validated a 26% increase in premium yield under Voltiris modules. The company previously raised CHF 4.8 million in seed funding to accelerate commercial deployment across European markets.

The Genson project aligns directly with Bakker Barendrecht’s ambition to reduce CO2 across its supply chain. For Voltiris, the installation reinforces its footprint in the Netherlands, one of Europe’s most technologically advanced horticultural markets, and demonstrates the scalability of its model beyond the tomato, cucumber, and pepper deployments covered in earlier commercial projects.