Agrivoltaics

Solar developer Energeia AS has been granted a license to build, own and operate a 46 MW agrivoltaic project in Norway, set to become the country’s largest solar site to date.

Researchers in the United States found that shading from agrivoltaic systems reduces grain numbers in both sorghum and soybean, but sorghum can partially compensate by increasing grain weight while soybean cannot. The study shows that sorghum and soybean respond differently due to their physiology, offering guidance for crop selection and management to minimize yield penalties in agrivoltaics.

Researchers at University of Jaén in Spain have demonstrated a semi-transparent crystalline silicon solar photovoltaic module with rear-side optical concentrators for agrivoltaics applications.

French agrivoltaic developers Calycé and CalyWattSol have formed Calycé Sun to pursue large farm-based solar projects, while crowdfunding platform Enerfip has agreed to acquire rival Lumo as domestic investment volumes continue to rise.

Data from agrivoltaic canopy trials in France, developed by energy producer TSE and the French National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and the Environment (INRAE), indicate measurable temperature, water-balance, and yield effects that reinforce the role of managed agrivoltaics in farm-level climate adaptation.

New research from Finland shows how spacing between solar modules plays a key role in determing power and crop yield. The scientists found that, at a separation of 8 m, crops received at least 75% of irradiation, which is expected to result in minimal impact compared with an unshaded scenario.

Italy’s Ministry of the Environment and Energy Security (MASE) says 747 projects have been selected under the nation’s first agrivoltaic program, backed by €1.7 billion ($1.9 billion) from European recovery funds.

The policy map highlights that only five of the 18 EU Member States included in the tool have set a legal definition of agrivoltaics. SolarPower Europe is calling on policymakers to develop an EU-wide definition.

Spain’s new agricultural decree allows land hosting solar arrays to qualify for Common Agricultural Policy payments if farming remains the primary activity.

Canadian researchers investigated how the transparency of cadmium telluride and crystalline silicon solar panels affects lettuce growth in agrivoltaic systems. They found that 69%–transparent silicon panels increased lettuce yield by 3.6%, whereas cadmium telluride panels led to a reduction in yield.