AgriPV

U.S. researchers are testing regenerative agrivoltaics at a farm in Southern California, combining solar panels with soil-restoring practices like composting, cover cropping, and no-till farming to enhance crop yields, soil health, and water-use efficiency. The pilot evaluates technical, ecological, and economic viability while exploring how this land-sharing approach can optimize food and energy production, reduce irrigation needs, and inform larger-scale deployment and policy frameworks.

A four-year study found that overhead solar panels in an Australian pear orchard reduced sun and hail damage but decreased fruit yield and blush coloration. While energy production and tree stress resilience improved, the findings highlight trade-offs for agrivoltaic systems, with potential applicability to other fruit crops like apples and cherries.

New research shows how agrivoltaic systems can reshape soil by altering moisture, temperature, and microbial activity, creating heterogeneous zones under and between panels. Proper design and management can boost soil health and crop resilience, especially in degraded or arid regions, though long-term effects remain uncertain.

Researchers in Sweden developed a new methodology to optimize agrivoltaic systems across Europe, showing that row pitch, system type, and panel orientation must be tailored to local climate, crops, and regulatory constraints.

Researchers in Spain surveyed 238 wine tourists in the Murcia region and found broad support for trellis-integrated agrivoltaics in vineyards, with 94% backing solar integration and most respondents seeing no landscape conflict.

German researchers found that agrivoltaics costs far exceed agricultural benefits, raising doubts about subsidies and highlighting the need for more cost-competitive system designs.

The Portuguese company said its new Drone AgroPV Cleaning Agent is scheduled for release in June. It has a safe formulation for crops and soil.

An international research team reviewed agrivoltaic systems, highlighting challenges in design, crop performance, and PV efficiency, while mapping their global potential. They call for innovative layouts, targeted crop selection, and improved modeling to maximize energy yield and land-use efficiency.

New research from Italy has shown that agrivoltaic systems can reduce potato yield by up to 15% compared to full-light cropping. However, moderate early-season shading was found to delay soil-moisture depletion, extending biomass accumulation and improving water-use efficiency.

An international study finds that successful agrivoltaic projects require farm-specific, holistic co-design that integrates PV layout with agricultural mechanization from the earliest planning stages. Without proper alignment between machinery, crops, and PV systems, agrivoltaics risk major land loss, lower field efficiency, and higher operating costs, undermining farm profitability.