Agricultural outdoor solar energy photovoltaic

Do agrivoltaics require land?

Increased global demand for food and energy implies higher competition for agricultural land. Photovoltaic installations contribute to more sustainable solutions to satisfying energy requirements, however, they also require land. To address this dilemma, agrivoltaics has been proposed, combining energy and agricultural production on the same area.

Can agrivoltaic plants be grown under solar panels?

Plants considered intolerant to shading could be grown under solar panels under certain conditions. Benefits of agrivoltaics are also linked to reduced water consumption, improved crop protection and increased animal welfare. Increased global demand for food and energy implies higher competition for agricultural land.

Can solar power be used in agricultural areas?

This leads to competition for land use between agriculture and renewable energy, especially in regions with limited arable land. The installation of smaller PV systems in or on buildings and along roads preserves agricultural land. However, expansion in these applications alone would not suffice to drive forward the green energy transition.

What is agrivoltaics?

Therefore, new systems which enable dual land use are providing a solution to combine renewable energy and food production. Agrivoltaics (AV) aims to achieve an optimized dual land use for solar energy and crops.

What are the benefits of solar energy for commercial farming?

Smart energy used in agricultural environments (also known as agri-PV or agrivoltaics) is giving farmers more control over their profitability and their energy future. Reducing operational costs, increasing crop yields and adding new revenue streams are just some of the big benefits solar can bring to commercial farming.

Could agrivoltaic farming be a solution?

Agrivoltaic farming could be a solution to not just one but both of these problems. It uses the shaded space underneath solar panels to grow crops. This increases land-use efficiency, as it lets solar farms and agriculture share ground, rather than making them compete against one another.