Akira Yano, Ph. D. Professor		Institute of Environmental Systems Science Shimane University 1060 Nishikawatsu, Matsue, Shimane 690-8504, Japan e-mail: yano@life.shimane-u.ac.jp
Dr. Yano, a Professor of the Institute of Environmental Systems Science since 2018 at Shimane University in Japan, currently teaches undergraduate students of the Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences and graduate students of the Graduate School of Natural Science and Technology. He also teaches doctoral students of the United Graduate School of Agricultural Sciences at Tottori University in Japan. He served as Vice Dean of the Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences during the 2021–2023 academic years.
Photovoltaic greenhouses His studies have specifically examined greenhouse engineering. Control of the aerial environment of plants using photonic and electrical engineering technologies has remained his major subject of study. For energizing greenhouse environment control appliances, he has developed solar photovoltaic systems such as a side-ventilation controller and a blind-type shading system that were designed based on stand-alone photovoltaic systems. In addition, he developed an algorithm for calculating shading below photovoltaic panels. Plant growth below solar panels was also investigated experimentally in a greenhouse.
Yano A, Li Z. 2025. Advanced Sustainable Systems 9:e00603. Application of a dynamic semitransparent agrivoltaic panel for controlling sunlight allocation to solar cells and crops. Li Z, Yano A, Yoshioka H. 2020. Applied Energy 279:115853. Feasibility study of a blind-type photovoltaic roof-shade system designed for simultaneous production of crops and electricity in a greenhouse. Cossu M, Yano A, Solinas S, Deligios PA, Tiloca MT, Cossu A, Ledda L. 2020. European Journal of Agronomy 118:126074. Agricultural sustainability estimation of the European photovoltaic greenhouses. Yano A, Cossu M. 2019.  Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews 109:116-137. Energy sustainable greenhouse crop cultivation using photovoltaic technologies. Cossu M, Cossu A, Deligios PA, Ledda L, Li Z, Fatnassi H, Poncet C, Yano A. 2018. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews 94:822-834. Assessment and comparison of the solar radiation distribution inside the main commercial photovoltaic greenhouse types in Europe. Li Z, Yano A, Cossu M, Yoshioka H, Kita I, Ibaraki Y. 2018. Journal of Agricultural Meteorology 74:114-122. Shading and electric performance of a prototype greenhouse blind system based on semi-transparent photovoltaic technology. Li Z, Yano A, Cossu M, Yoshioka H, Kita I, Ibaraki Y. 2018. Energies 11:1681. Electrical energy producing greenhouse shading system with a semi-transparent photovoltaic blind based on micro-spherical solar cells. Cossu M, Ledda L, Urracci G, Sirigu A, Cossu A, Murgia L, Pazzona A, Yano A. 2017. Solar Energy 141:38-48. An algorithm for the calculation of the light distribution in photovoltaic greenhouses. Cossu M, Yano A, Li Z, Onoe M, Nakamura H, Matsumoto T, Nakata J. 2016. Applied Energy 162:1042-1051. Advances on the semi-transparent modules based on micro solar cells: First integration in a greenhouse system. Yano A, Onoe M, Nakata J. 2014. Biosystems Engineering 122:62-73. Prototype semi-transparent photovoltaic modules for greenhouse roof applications. Kadowaki M, Yano A, Ishizu F, Tanaka T, Noda S. 2012. Biosystems Engineering 111(3):290-297. Effects of greenhouse photovoltaic array shading on Welsh onion growth. Yano A, Kadowaki M, Furue A, Tamaki N, Tanaka T, Hiraki E, Kato Y, Ishizu F, Noda S. 2010. Biosystems Engineering 106(4):367-377. Shading and electrical features of a photovoltaic array mounted inside the roof of an east-west oriented greenhouse. Yano A, Furue A, Kadowaki M, Tanaka T, Hiraki E, Miyamoto M, Ishizu F, Noda S. 2009. Biosystems Engineering 103(2):228-238. Electrical energy generated by photovoltaic modules mounted inside the roof of a north-south oriented greenhouse. Yano A, Tsuchiya K, Nishi K, Moriyama T, Ide O. 2007. Biosystems Engineering 96(4):633-641. Development of a greenhouse side-ventilation controller driven by photovoltaic energy.
Light emitting diodes for plant studies Furthermore, he has developed specific LED systems for use in indoor plant studies. Those systems enabled light emission with an approximated sunlight spectrum, controllable spectral combinations, and lighting distributions in time and space. During the course of plant lighting system development, he noticed the reversibility of photoelectric conversion by LEDs and later demonstrated another function of LEDs as a light sensor for agricultural use.
Yano A, Matsuda R, Fujiwara K. 2022. Journal of Agricultural Meteorology 78:31-40. Implications of open circuit voltage of light-emitting diodes installed for plant cultivation. Yano A, Fujiwara K. 2012. Plant Methods 8:46. Plant lighting system with five wavelength-band light-emitting diodes providing photon flux density and mixing ratio control. Fujiwara K, Yano A. 2011. Bioelectromagnetics 32(3):243-252. Controllable spectrum artificial sunlight source system using LEDs with 32 different peak wavelengths of 385-910 nm.
After receiving his Ph.D. in 1997, he was appointed as an Assistant Professor of the Faculty of Horticulture at Chiba University. He also studied at Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden as a Visiting Researcher in 1999. In 2001, he moved to the Faculty of Life and Environmental Science at Shimane University as an Associate Professor. He was active as a Professor of the Faculty of Life and Environmental Science during 2013–2017. Additionally, he served as Chairman of the Department of Regional Environmental Sciences and as Chairman of the Environmental Science and Technology Course of the Graduate School of Life and Environmental Science during the 2016–2017 academic years at Shimane University. Moreover, he accepted and later completed appointments as a Visiting Lecturer at The University of Tokyo in 2010 and as a Visiting Professor at the University of Sassari in Italy in 2015. During the 2017–2019 academic years, he served as an Associate Editor of Engineering in Agriculture, Environment and Food.