New Solar Panel , Concept Could Help Drive the , Transition to Renewable Energy.br 'The Independent' reports that researchers br believe a new renewable energy concept br has the potential to reduce the payback br period for solar panels to under five years.br The new concept was developed br by the University of Lisboa and br the Military Academy in Portugal.br The team's concept includes building solar farms br alongside "shadow friendly" crops through a system br known as agrivoltaics, otherwise referred to as Agri-PV.br The concept could help br the world's efforts to transition br to renewable energy sources.br According to researchers, the Agri-PV concept creates a , “union between agricultural br and energy productions.”.br This union could generate more br value than solar farms or br agricultural production alone.br 'The Independent' reports that the concept br has gained feasability through the decreasing br cost of solar panels and the growing br need for new food and energy production. .br 'The Independent' reports that the concept br has gained feasability through the decreasing br cost of solar panels and the growing br need for new food and energy production. .br These projects, besides br the fact they increase the br production of green energy and br reduce the consumption of br non-renewable energy sources, br also decrease the amount of CO2 br released to the atmosphere, Study authors, via 'The Independent'.br The projects’ payback periods br are around four-to-five years br and it is concluded that Agri-PV br is worth more than only PV br or only agriculture productions, Study authors, via 'The Independent'.br The team's concept was detailed br in a paper published in the journal br 'Energy for Sustainable Development.