Design of an iot-enabled PLC framework for efficient water management and crop optimization in agrivoltaic systems

In this study, an improved Agri-voltaic framework combining LoRaWAN-based Internet of Things (IoT) and Power Line Communication (PLC) technologies is proposed to increase precision agriculture and sustainable energy consumption. Agri-voltaic systems are designed to increase land-use efficiency by enabling the simultaneous production of solar power and agricultural crops. Even though earlier agri-voltaic strategies have produced encouraging outcomes, their overall performance is often hindered by ineffective water management techniques, inefficient energy use, inconsistent communication between system components, and the limited ability of traditional crop models to adapt to changing climate conditions. To overcome these limitations, an IoT-driven system for intelligent water resource management and adaptive crop modeling in agri-voltaic settings is given.The proposed framework uses PLC to ensure fast, reliable, and stable data transfer over the existing electrical infrastructure, hence eliminating the need for additional communication cables. As a result, system resilience is increased and deployment complexity is decreased. Additionally, LoRaWAN technology enables low-power, long-range wireless communication between geographically separated agricultural sensors, significantly increasing network scalability while reducing installation and operational costs. Using real-time data analytics enables the system to adjust to changing climatic and environmental conditions. Soil moisture, crop status, and environmental data are continuously monitored to assist climate-adaptive crop modeling, optimal irrigation scheduling, enhanced crop health assessment, and enhanced energy management.An essential part of the proposed system is the nutrient optimization module, which dynamically regulates fertilizer supply based on information from soil nutrient sensor readings and crop growth phases. This customized nitrogen delivery approach increases crop yield and irrigation water productivity while reducing fertilizer waste and environmental effect, so promoting long-term agricultural sustainability. The effectiveness of the proposed PLC and LoRaWAN-enabled agri-voltaic architecture is confirmed by MATLAB-based simulations and real-world practical case studies. Agricultural productivity, irrigation supply efficiency, and energy system voltage-current characteristics are some of the metrics used to assess performance.The results demonstrate that the recommended approach outperforms conventional agri-voltaic and agricultural management practices by a significant margin. When PLC, LoRaWAN, and nutrient optimization are combined, the system's enormous potential to support sustainable agriculture, efficient resource utilization, and dual land use for simultaneous food production and renewable energy generation is demonstrated.