South African province launches agrivoltaics tender
South Africa’s Mpumalanga province is seeking developers to partner with its Department of Agriculture, Rural Development, Land, and Environmental Affairs to establish and operate agrivoltaics at selected sites, with applications due by April 10.
Australian university testing 20 kW agrivoltaic system on vineyard
Australian renewables company Greenwood has installed 48 solar panels at the University of Melbourne’s Dookie Campus vineyard to aid research on how agrivoltaics affect crop yields.
Swiss startup offers wavelength-selective PV system for agrivoltaics
Voltiris has launched its latest greenhouse pilot project, installing its novel wavelength-selective PV system at a vegetable growing farm in Canton Baselland.
Italy allocates 1.5 GW in agrivoltaics tender
The Italian authorities have chosen 540 projects, totaling 1.5 GW, in the nation’s first agrivoltaics tender.
Agrivoltaics can increase grape yield by up to 60%
French agrivoltaics company Sun’Agri says that two of its facilities increased grape yields by 20% to 60% in 2024, compared to areas without solar panels. The PV modules helped regulate temperature fluctuations, reducing summer heat peaks and winter temperature declines.
Agrivoltaics can improve water conservation in Africa
Research led by the University of Sheffield installed an off-grid agrivoltaic system in Tanzania and a grid-tied agrivoltaic system in Kenya. They found the installations helped boost crop yield and conserve water while generating electricity at a lower cost than the national grid.
Colombian researchers design agrivoltaic system with hydroponic towers
Colombian researchers have designed an agrivoltaic system integrating hydroponic growing towers. The modular array, consisting of stackable 20 cm rings, creates a structure up to 2.5 meters tall, optimized for cultivating approximately 80 plants per square meter.
Austrian utility building 164 MW agrivoltaic plant
Burgerland Energie says it is building a 164 MW tracker-based agrivoltaic facility near Tadten-Wallern on Lake Neusiedl, southeastern Austria.
Wavelength-selective PV tech for agrivoltaic applications
Scientists in Sweden have conducted a comprehensive review of all wavelength-selective PV technologies for agrivoltaic installations. They suggested creating standards for reporting on the performance of these technologies.
Research on agrivoltaics in Germany demonstrates strong synergies
Recent research conducted by Germany’s Fraunhofer ISE on agrivoltaics show that not only did the crops grown under the PV panels benefit from the partial shading, but also that the PV system produced more electricity than previously assumed thanks to the cooling provided by the plants underneath.
