Agrivoltaics

Scientists in the Netherlands conducted meta-analysis on the growth of strawberries, blueberries, blackberries and blackcurrants under different levels of shade generated by elevated agrivoltaic systems. They found that, although classified as shade-benefitting in previous literature, not all berries are equally profiting from the presence of the photovoltaic panels.

The French government has published long-anticipated rules defining conditions for installing PV panels on agricultural areas, with consideration for the coverage rate and acceptable loss of agricultural yield.

Sensors from German electronics manufacturer SICK are used in solar PV tracking systems since 2021. Now they are making their way into agrivoltaic applications.

A new survey conducted by Germany’s Fraunhofer ISE showed that 72.4% of the country’s farmers are considering the deployment of an agrivoltaic project. Among the main factors behind this choice, the researchers identified the additional source of income coming from solar power generation and the perceived usefulness of the technology.

New research from Italy shows lower wheat production under elevated agrivoltaic systems, but a simultaneous increase in nutritional value for livestock. pv magazine Italy spoke with the academics about their future research.

Agro Solar Europe has developed an agrivoltaic mounting structure made with organic materials, featuring a design that weighs 90% less than common steel structures. The Germany company has used raw materials such as flax, carbon, and wood fiber.

A Spanish group of researchers has investigated how much agricultural production may be hosted by existing ground-mounted PV plants using dual-axis trackers. They outlined a new methodology that reportedly enables to quantify how much space around and beneath the panels can be uses for agricultural purposes.

Dutch scientists have developed new landscape change indicators (LCIs) for agrivoltaic projects. The novel methodology is meant to assist policymakers and project developers mitigate the visual and environmental impact of agrivoltaic facilities.

A Spanish-Italian research team has investigated different system configurations for bifacial agrivoltaic solar arrays deployed in olive groves and has found that the solar modules’ tilt angle has a significant impact on power yield while their height plays a crucial role on increasing agricultural yield.

Researchers in Sweden have outlined a new methodology to identify suitable surfaces for agrivoltaic projects in their home country. They found that approximately 8.6% – roughly 38,485 km2 – of its land has the potential to host agrivoltaic facilities.