Agrivoltaics

Important aspects and advantages of Agri-PV plants

• Efficient use of land

  Many countries today have limited land resources, and competition for land use between agriculture and renewable energy production can be problematic. Agri-PV plants use existing agricultural land efficiently by installing solar panels on the same land where crops are cultivated or livestock are kept.

• Diversification of income sources

  Farmers can generate additional income by using their land for Agri-PV plants in parallel. This diversification of income sources can help to make agriculture more financially stable in the long term and reduce dependency on traditional agricultural yields. In addition to the lease and crop yields, additional income can be generated, if the farmer takes care of green maintenance and cleaning the PV modules.

• Advantages for agriculture

  • Reduction of crop losses: Especially for systems built with elevated modules, covering the site can protect animals and plants. In the case of extreme weather events in particular, crop losses or yield reductions can be reduced or even avoided entirely.
  • Saving water: The solar modules provide shade and can thus protect the soil surface from intense solar radiation and reduce the evaporation of water from the soil. Agri-PV plants can also be designed to collect and store rainwater. The collected rainwater can then be used to irrigate the agricultural crops. This reduces the dependency on external water sources.
  • Protection against soil erosion: Agri-PV plants provide a physical barrier that protects the soil from direct contact with rain and wind. This strengthens the soil structure and protects it from erosion.
  • Reducing the use of pesticides: Agri-PV can help to minimise disease infestation in agricultural crops, if the system protects the leaves and fruit of the plants against direct rain. This minimises the risk of disease, which can reduce the use of pesticides.

• Research and development

  Europe is leading the way in the development of Agri-PV concepts and the definition of regulatory frameworks. Research institutes and companies are working on further improving the efficiency and integration of Agri-PV systems.

• Climate protection

  The energy generated helps to reduce greenhouse gas emissions as it is based on clean solar energy. This supports the efforts to achieve climate targets and reduce CO₂ emissions.

• Decentralised energy production

  Agri-PV plants contribute to the decentralised energy generation and promote the regional energy transition. They enable an increased use of renewable energy sources in rural areas.