UTAS researchers have examined the potential benefits of agrivoltaic systems in three countries and found the technology can most improve agricultural productivity in arid and semi-arid regions.
The study by the UTAS School of Engineering and the Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture (TIA) examines how solar panel sunlight interception affects soil moisture, drought resilience, electricity generation, and agrifood production in Australia, Iran, and Chad. The study urges policymakers to incentivize agrivoltaic system deployment in arid regions by attracting public and private investment.
The group's research paper, “Agrivoltaics as an SDG Enabler: Trade-Offs and Co-Benefits for Food Security, Energy Generation and Emission Mitigation,” examines the potential of agrivoltaics to provide a viable solution for achieving sustainable development goals (SDGs).
Prof. Matthew Harrison said in a LinkedIn post that the researchers found diminishing annual rainfall boosts benefits from electricity generation and agriculture.
“In these cases, solar panels shade soil, prevent evapotranspiration and improve pasture production, suggesting that agrivoltaics would be more beneficial in regions with greater aridity,” Harrison said. “We suggest that agrivoltaics provide scope for economic growth and climate action regardless of socio-economic development status.”
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