Talk:Agrivoltaics

Austria

In 2004 Günter Czaloun proposed a photovoltaic tracking system with a rope rack system. The first prototype was built in South Tyrol in 2007 on a 0.1 ha area. The cable structure is more than five meters above the surface. A new system was presented at the Intersolar 2017 conference in Munich. This technology may potentially be less expensive than other open field systems because it requires less steel.^[1]

Belgium

A pilot project was initiated in Belgium in 2020, which will test if it is viable to cultivate pear trees among solar panels.^[2] A second pilot project was installed in 2021, which trials arable cultures in a crop rotation, comparing a static bifacial and a single axis tracked system.^[3]

Canada

Agrivolatics has started in Canada.^[4] Between a quarter (vertical bifacial PV) and more than one third (single-axis tracking PV) of Canada's electrical energy needs can be provided solely by agrivoltaics using only 1% of current agricultural lands.^[5] Several policies are needed to overcome regulatory barriers in Alberta^[6] and Ontario^[7] to support the rapid deployment of agrivoltaics in Canada. A non profit, Agrivoltaics Canada, has formed to keep Canada's farmers farming.^[8] The Ivey Business School ran the first agrivoltaic conference in Canada in 2022.^[9] The Canadian PV company Heliene commercialized greenhouse integrated PV.^[10] The Weston Family Foundation funded agrivoltaics as part of their Home Grown Innovation Challenge the first net zero^[11] agrivoltaic agrotunnel,^[12] which uses outdoor agrivoltaic arrays to power an indoor controlled environment agriculture vertical growing.^[13][14]

In Alberta, several pilot agrivoltaic projects are emerging that integrate solar energy generation with agricultural operations. For example, a project in Innisfail has leased municipal land to a solar production company while maintaining it as a sheep grazing area, and solar installations are also being used to power irrigation systems, demonstrating the dual benefits of energy generation and enhanced agricultural sustainability.^[15]

Chile

Three 13 kWp agro-photovoltaic systems were built in Chile in 2017. The goal of this project, supported by the Metropolitan Region of Santiago, was to study the plants that can benefit from the shading of the agrivoltaic system. The electricity produced was used to power agricultural facilities: cleaning, packaging and cold storage of agricultural production, and incubators for eggs. One of the systems was installed in a region with a lot of power outages.^[16]

In February 2023, the first distributed-scale agrivoltaic farm, Ayla Solar, started operation. This 22 hectare, 9 MWp system, built and operated by the company oEnergy, grows a variety of cherry species in twin rows between arrays of 2P single-axis trackers. The east cherry row receives shade in the morning, while the west row is shaded in the evening. A 10 hectare agricultural control area is also present, with cherry trees receiving full sun radiation, serving as a comparison to the agricultural yield of the agrivoltaic area.^[17]

China

Chinese companies have developed several GWs of solar power plants combining agriculture and solar energy production, either photovoltaic greenhouses or open-field installations.

For 30 years, the Elion Group has been trying to combat desertification in the Kubuqi region.^[18] Wan You-Bao received a patent in 2007 for shade system equipment to protect crops in the desert. The shades are equipped with solar panels.^[19]

Croatia

In 2017 a structure was installed with a 500 kWp open field power plant near Virovitica-Podravina. The agronomic studies are supported by the University of Osijek and the agricultural engineering school of Slatina. The electricity production is used for the irrigation system and agricultural machinery. At first crops requiring shade will be tested under the device.^[20]

Denmark

The Agronomy Department of the Aarhus University launched a study project of agrivoltaic systems on orchards in 2014.^[21] In 2023 the university estimated Europe could host 51 TW of agrivoltaic capacity, generating 71,500 TWh of electricity per year (25 times higher than current power demand).^[22]

France

Since the beginning of the 2000s, photovoltaic greenhouses have been experimentally built in France. The company Akuo Energy has been developing their concept of agrinergie since 2007. Their first power plants consisted of alternation of crops and solar panels. The new power plants are greenhouses.^[23] In 2017 the Tenergie company began the deployment of photovoltaic greenhouses with an architecture that diffuses light in order to reduce the contrasts between light bands and shade bands created by solar panels.^[24]

Since 2009, INRA, IRSTEA and Sun'R have been working on the Sun'Agri program.^[25] A first prototype installed in the field with fixed panels is built in 2009 on a surface of 0.1 ha in Montpellier.^[26] Other prototypes with 1-axis mobile panels were built in 2014^[26] and 2017. The aim of these studies is to manage the microclimate received by plants and to produce electricity, by optimizing the position of the panels. and to study how radiation is distributed between crops and solar panels. The first agrivoltaic plant in the open field of Sun'R is built in the spring of 2018 in Tresserre in the Pyrénées-Orientales. This plant has a capacity of 2.2 MWp installed on 4.5 ha of vineyards. It will evaluate, on a large scale and in real conditions, the performance of the Sun'Agri system on vineyards.^[27]

In 2016, the Agrivolta company specialized on the agrivoltaïcs.^[28] After a first prototype built in 2017 in Aix-en-Provence, Agrivolta deployed its system on a plot of the National Research Institute of Horticulture (Astredhor) in Hyères.^[29] Agrivolta won several innovation prizes^[30] Agrivolta presented its technology at the CES in Las Vegas in 2018.^[31]

Germany

In 2011 the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE started to research agrivoltaics. Research continues with the APV-Resola project, which began in 2015 and was scheduled to end in 2020. A first prototype of 194.4 kWp was to be built in 2016 from Hilber Solar (today AgroSolar Europe)^[32] on a 0.5 ha site belonging to the Hofgemeinschaft Heggelbach cooperative farm in Herdwangen.^[33] As of 2015, photovoltaic power generation is still not economically viable in Germany without governmental FIT subsidies.^[34] As of 2021, FITs are not available in Germany for agrovoltaic systems.^[35]

India

Projects for isolated sites are being studied by Amity University in Noida, northern India.^[36] A study published in 2017 looked at the potential of agrivoltaics for vineyards in India. The agrivoltaic system studied in this article consist of solar panels intercalated between crops to limit shading on plants. This study claimed that the system could increase the revenue (not profit) of Indian farmers in one specific area by 1500% (ignoring investment costs).^[37][38]

In December 2021 Cochin International Airport Limited with the airport's agrivoltaic farming scaled up to 20 acres became the largest of its kind in the country^[39]

Israel

The MIGAL Galilee Research Institute (מרכז ידע גליל עליון)^[40] is the leader in the domain of agrivoltaics in Israel.^[41] The institute established a knowledge center on agrivoltaic technologies and And two annual APV conferences in Israel.^[42][43] The conference is being held in collaboration with many distinguished bodies from Israel and around the world.

Beyond the ongoing activities, the Ministry of Energy has issued funding for dozens of agrovoltaic pilots^[44] in Israel in order to reach the goals of the COP27 conference, and MIGAL has undertaken many of these pilots, especially since Israel is the only country that researches and promotes the field of Agrivoltaics on a national scale and with government support.^[45][46]

Italy

In 2009 and 2011, agrivoltaic systems with fixed panels were installed above vineyards. Experiments showed a slight decrease of the yield and late harvests.^[47][48]

In 2009 the Italian company REM TEC developed a dual-axis solar tracking system. In 2011 and 2012, REM TEC built several MW of open field agrivoltaic power plants.^[49][50][51] The solar panels are installed 5 m above the ground to operate agricultural machinery. The shadow due to the cover of photovoltaic panels claimed to be less than 15%, so as to minimize its effect on the crops. The company advertises as being the first to offer "automated integrated shading net systems into the supporting structure".^[52] REM TEC has also designed a dual-axis solar tracking systems integrated into the greenhouse structure. According to the company website, control of the position of the solar panels would optimize the greenhouse microclimate.^[53]

More recently, the Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Developmenent (ENEA) launched the national network for sustainable agrivoltaic systems^[54] as part of the "Green revolution and ecological transition" mission of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan. According to a study conducted by ENEA and Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, the economic and environmental performances of agrivoltaic systems are similar to those of ground photovoltaic plants. ENEA's objective is to increase installed power by 30GW. For ENEA, 0.32% of Italian agricultural fields are to be covered by photovoltaic systems in order to reach 50% of the objectives of the national energy plan.^[55]

Japan

Japan was the first country to develop open field agrivoltaics when in 2004 Akira Nagashima developed a demountable structure that he tested on several crops. Removable structures allow farmers to remove or move facilities based on crop rotations and their needs.^[56] A number of larger facilities with permanent structures and dynamic systems, and with capacities of several MW, have since been developed.^[57][58][59] A 35 MW power plant, installed on 54 ha, started operation in 2018. It consists of panels two metres above the ground at their lowest point, mounted on steel piles in a concrete foundation. The shading rate of this plant is over 50%, a value higher than the 30% shading usually found in the Nagashima systems. Under the panels farmers will cultivate ginseng, ashitaba and coriander in plastic tunnels; ginseng was selected because it requires deep shape. The area was previously used to grow lawn grass for golf courses, but due to golf becoming less popular in Japan, the farming land had begun to be abandoned.^[60] A proposal for a solar power plant of 480 MW to be built on the island of Ukujima, part of which would be agrivoltaics, was tendered in 2013. The construction was supposed to begin in 2019.^[61]

To obtain permission to exploit solar panels over crops, Japanese law requires farmers to maintain at least 80% of agricultural production. Farmers must remove panels if the municipality finds that they are shading out too much cropland. At the same time, the Japanese government gives out high subsidies, known as FITs, for local energy production, which allows landowners, using the rather flimsy and light-weight systems, to generate much more revenue from energy production than farming.^[56]

Malaysia

In Malaysia, Cypark Resources Berhad (Cypark), Malaysia's largest developer of renewable energy projects had in 2014 commissioned Malaysia's first Agriculture Integrated Photo Voltaic (AIPV) Solar Farm in Kuala Perlis. The AIPV combines a 1MW solar installation with agriculture activities on 5 acres of land. The AIPV produces, among other things, melons, chillies, cucumbers which are sold at the local market.^[62]

Cypark later developed other four other solar farms integrated with agriculture activities: 6MW in Kuala Perlis with sheep and goat rearing, 425KW in Pengkalan Hulu with local vegetables, and 4MW in Jelebu and 11MW in Tanah Merah with sheep and goats.^[63]

The Universiti Putra Malaysia, which specializes in agronomy, launched experiments in 2015 on plantations of Orthosiphon stamineus, a medicinal herb often called Java tea in English. It is a fixed structure installed on an experimental surface of about 0.4 ha.^[64]

Portugal

Portugal is a country with good climate characteristics of solar production, in financial, production and environmental terms. In,^[65] a study is presented and has concluded that combining agriculture with photovoltaic systems can be very beneficial from energy production and a financial point of view. Despite the considerable initial investment cost, the payback time does not surpass more than 5 years, using traditional technologies. It is concluded that Agri-PV worth more than only PV or only agriculture productions, verified by a Land Equivalent Ratio (LER) higher than 1. When the merging is beneficial, the value of LER is higher than 1, showing, in terms of production, that the yield will be increased.

South Korea

Agrivoltaic is one of the solutions studied to increase the share of renewable energies in Korea's energy mix. The South Korean government has adopted the Plan 3020 for energy policy, with the goal to have 20% of the energy supply based on renewable resources by 2030,^[66] against 5% in 2017.^[67] In 2019 Korea Agrivoltaic Association was established to promote and develop South Korea's agrivoltaic industry.^[68] SolarFarm.Ltd built the first agrivoltaic power plant in South Korea in 2016 and has produced rice.^[69]

South Korea has very little agricultural land compared to most nations.^[70] National zoning laws, called separation regulations, made it illegal to build solar farms near roads or residential areas, but meant that solar farms must be installed on otherwise unproductive mountain slopes, where they were hard to access and have been destroyed during storms. In 2017 the separation rules were revised, allowing counties to formulate their own regulations. A number of agrivoltaic plants have been installed since then. The expansion of photovoltaic plants throughout the countryside has enraged local residents and inspired a number of protests, as the panels are considered an eyesore, and people fear pollution by toxic materials used in the panels, or danger from "electromagnetic waves". Resistance by disgruntled locals to the industry has led to countless legal battles throughout the country. Kim Chang-han, executive secretariat of the Korea Agrivoltaic Association, claims that the problems in the industry are caused by "Fake News".^[66]

The German Fraunhofer Institute claimed in 2021 that the South Korean government is planning to build 100,000 agrivoltaic systems on farms as a retirement provision for farmers.^[35]

United States

As of January 2025, the U.S. has more than 500 active agrivoltaics sites, which add a total of 9 GW of solar capacity to the grid.^[71]

SolAgra is interested in the concept in collaboration with the Department of Agronomy at the University of California at Davis. A first power plant on 0.4 ha is under development. An area of 2.8 ha is used as a control. Several types of crops are studied: alfalfa, sorghum, lettuce, spinach, beets, carrots, chard, radishes, potatoes, arugula, mint, turnips, kale, parsley, coriander, beans, peas, shallots and mustard.^[72] Projects for isolated sites are also studied.^[73] Universities are studying the concept: the Biosphere 2 project at the University of Arizona,^[74] the Stockbridge School of Agriculture project (University of Massachusetts at Amherst).^[75] Jack's Solar Garden in Colorado grows vegetables under an array of 3,200 solar panels.^[76]

Shell subsidiary Savion received approval in 2024 for its 6,050-acre, $1 billion, 800-megawatt Oak Run Solar Project in Madison County, Ohio.^[77]

University of Massachusetts’ South Deerfield Experiment Farm^[78]

At this research site, solar panels are elevated to allow various crops to be grown underneath. The project has demonstrated that when solar panels are appropriately spaced, the yields of vegetables such as cherry tomatoes, kale, and swiss chard remain at 90–95% of their typical production. This farm serves as a key experimental model for optimizing agrivoltaic system design and validating the dual benefits of energy production and agriculture.

Maple Ridge Meats, Vermont^[79]

Maple Ridge Meats has implemented an agrivoltaic system where cattle are grazed beneath elevated solar panels. This integration of livestock and solar technology not only provides a practical solution for vegetation management—reducing the need for mechanical mowing—but also maintains the productivity of the land. The project demonstrates the potential for agrivoltaics to generate dual revenue streams while supporting sustainable agricultural practices.

University of Minnesota’s West Central Research and Outreach Center, Morris, Minnesota^[80]

This project features a pasture dairy system where cattle graze under a solar array, showcasing the benefits of a dual-use system. The elevated panels help create a cooler microclimate that reduces heat stress in dairy cows, potentially improving their welfare and milk production. It also provides a practical example of how agrivoltaic systems can enhance overall land-use efficiency by combining renewable energy generation with productive agricultural operations.

Vietnam

Fraunhofer ISE has deployed their agrivoltaic system on a shrimp farm located in the Province of Bạc Liêu in the Mekong Delta. According to this institute, the results of their pilot project indicate that water consumption has been reduced by 75%. Their system might offer other benefits such as shading for workers as well as a lower and stable water temperature for better shrimp growth.^[81]