What is agrivoltaics and how can it benefit the solar industry?

For the solar industry, agrivoltaics has the potential to facilitate siting of solar installations, improve solar PV panel performance by cooling the panels, and lower operations and maintenance costs by limiting the need for mowing.

Are solar panels good for agriculture?

Research in the drylands of Arizona found that farming under solar panels can decrease evaporation of water from the soil and potentially reduce irrigation requirements. Agrivoltaics can also improve crop yield and crop resistance in extreme weather, such as droughts.

Could agrivoltaics be a solution?

Combining agriculture and solar on the same piece of land might be a solution, which is why DOE is funding $15 million in research on how agrivoltaics could work for farmers, the solar industry, and communities. Agrivoltaics is still a nascent business model.

Are BP and shell investing in agrivoltaics?

Oil giants BP and Shell are investing in an emerging industry called agrivoltaics, which combines solar energy generation with agricultural activities.

Should agricultural crops be co-located with solar panels?

There are both benefits and tradeoffs of co-locating agricultural crops with solar installations. In arid climates, for example, there might be higher yields with lower watering requirements; in extremely wet environments, panel spacing and other factors play an important role in managing on-site water distribution and eventual yields.

Can agrivoltaic systems increase crop production?

A USDA-funded project led by University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign researches agrivoltaic systems in a variety of land and climate types to increase crop production, produce renewable energy, and maximize farm profitability.