What is an agrivoltaic farm?
Agrivoltaics, also known as agrophotovoltaics, is a concept that combinessolar energy production with agriculture on the same plot of land. It involves installing photovoltaic panels above or near crops, pastures or livestock areas, so as to optimize land use and create synergies betweenrenewable energy production and agriculture.
Here are just a few of the benefits and characteristics of agrivoltaics:
- Efficient use of land: Agrivoltaics enables land to be used more efficiently by combining solar energy production and agriculture, reducing competition for land use and preserving agricultural land.
- Crop protection: Solar panels can provide shade for crops and animals, which can be beneficial in regions where sunshine is intense and plants are at risk of heat stress. What’s more, solar panels can also protect crops from bad weather, such as hail or heavy rain.
- Water savings: The shading provided by solar panels can reduce water evaporation, which can be particularly useful in arid or semi-arid regions where water is a limited resource. In addition, rainwater can be collected from the solar panels and reused for irrigation.
- Improved energy production: Solar panels can benefit from natural cooling thanks to plant evapotranspiration, which can improve their efficiency, as solar panel performance generally decreases with increasing temperature.
- Income diversification: Agrivoltaics offers farmers the chance to diversify their income by combining the sale of agricultural produce with the sale of electricity generated by the solar panels.
The different types of agrivoltaics
There are several types of agrivoltaics, each with its own characteristics and advantages. The different types of agrivoltaics are generally classified according to how the solar panels are integrated into the agricultural landscape and how they interact with crops, animals or agricultural infrastructure. Here are some commonly used types of agrivoltaics:
- Horizontal agrivoltaics: In this type of agrivoltaics, solar panels are installed low above crops or pastures. The solar panels provide shade for plants and animals, which can be beneficial in areas where the sun is intense. The spacing and orientation of solar panels are designed to allow optimum plant growth and minimize competition for light and resources.
- Elevated agrivoltaics: In this type of agrivoltaics, solar panels are installed on elevated structures, leaving sufficient space below for plant growth or animal grazing. This type of agrivoltaics makes more efficient use of land, and can also offer advantages in terms of protecting crops from bad weather or pests.
- Greenhouse-integrated agrivoltaics: Solar panels are integrated directly into greenhouse roofs, providing electricity for lighting, heating or cooling systems. This approach can improve greenhouse energy efficiency and reduce dependence on fossil fuels. Solar panels can also provide shade for plants and help moderate temperatures inside the greenhouse.
- Agrivoltaics with livestock: In this type of agrivoltaics, solar panels are installed over livestock areas, providing shade and shelter for the animals. This can improve animal welfare by reducing heat stress and providing protection from the elements. Solar panels can also be used to power lighting, ventilation or milking systems.
- Aquatic agrivoltaics: Floating solar panels are installed on ponds, lakes or water reservoirs, reducing evaporation and making efficient use of water. This type of agrivoltaism may be particularly suited to regions where land space is limited or where water is a precious resource.
History of agrivoltaism
The history of agrivoltaism goes back several decades, although the term “agrivoltaism” is relatively recent. The concept of integrating solar energy and agriculture was explored as early as the 1970s and 1980s, when researchers and engineers began to recognize the potential of this combination to meet energy and agricultural challenges.
1970-80: Origins
The first research into agrivoltaics took place in the 1970s and 1980s, mainly in Europe and the USA. Researchers began to investigate the potential benefits of integrating solar energy and agriculture, such as reducing competition for land and improving energy efficiency.
1990-2000: Experimentation
During the 1990s and 2000s, the first experiments were carried out in various countries to study the impact of agrivoltaics on agricultural production and solar energy generation. These experiments have generally shown that agrivoltaics can be beneficial for agricultural production and solar power generation, although results vary according to local conditions and implementation methods.
2010- …Development and expansion
In the 2010s, agrivoltaics began to develop and spread in various countries, including Europe, the USA and Asia. Governments, researchers and companies began to recognize the potential benefits of agrivoltaics and to invest in the development of projects and technologies. Pilot projects and commercial installations were set up to demonstrate the feasibility and benefits of agrivoltaics on a larger scale.
Agrivoltaics has also begun to receive political and regulatory support, with the introduction of policies and incentive programs to encourage the development of agrivoltaics. In France, for example, the government launched a call for tenders in 2016 to encourage the development of agrivoltaic projects. Other countries, such as Germany, Italy and the United States, have also introduced measures to support agrivoltaics.
Companies
Several companies and organizations have specialized in agrivoltaics, offering solutions for combining solar energy and agriculture in a sustainable and profitable way. Some of these companies include:
- Sun’Agri (France): Sun’Agri is a French company that develops intelligent agrivoltaic solutions to optimize solar energy and agricultural production.
- Agrivoltaics Energy (United States): Agrivoltaics Energy is an American company that designs, installs and manages agrivoltaic systems for farms, vineyards and greenhouses.
- Soliculture (United States): Soliculture develops solar panels specifically for use in agricultural environments, such as greenhouses. Their semi-transparent solar panels enable optimal plant growth while producing solar energy.
- Sun’R (France): Sun’R is a French company specializing in renewable energy projects, including agrivoltaics. They are working on projects combining solar energy and agriculture to optimize the use of land and resources.
- Henry J. Williams, Khaled Hashad, Haomiao Wang, K. Max Zhang, The potential for agrivoltaics to enhance solar farm cooling, Applied Energy, Volume 332, 2023, 120478, ISSN 0306-2619, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apenergy.2022.120478.
- https://www.lagri.fr/les-poiriers-a-lombre-par-yann-kerveno