The zero-emission, multipurpose solar-powered platform for sustainable agriculture.

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[–] 2 points 1 day ago (1 child)

It's right in the title - solar powered. This simply can't be viable.

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  • I think it could be - a sufficiently large panel array moving in an open field is viable.

    But I think it's either a radical innovation (which is what gave me pause) or a complete failure to think the problem through - the obvious solution is a cable tractor, which was a non-powered tractor pulled between 2 steam engines via mechanical pulley system. Replace the two steam engines with grid-connected electric motors (so it can run off renewables) and you're now using a time-tested system that was widespread for over a century! It's not as performant as a diesel tractor (which is why it was replaced) but neither is the thing they're trying to build. Plus, a cable tractor would still operate when it's locally overcast, as you're leveraging the entire electrical grid which could use wind turbines, batteries, hydro, whatever.

    I do want to say though: if this is real, the radical innovation is good - it's clever, it recognises that open fields can have really wide solar panels and it's not too much of a problem, and that basically all staple crops are grown in open fields so you can go ahead and use that fact in the tractor design.

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