Climate change is highlighting the vulnerability of our food, energy, and water systems, while emphasizing the urgent need to strengthen their resilience.
In this context, agrivoltaics (or Agri-PV) is generating growing interest from both the renewable energy sector and agricultural stakeholders.
This approach involves installing photovoltaic panels above crops, allowing for the simultaneous production of solar energy and food on the same plot of land. It is therefore not surprising that agrivoltaics is gradually emerging as an innovative response to both energy and financial challenges.
At Enerdeal, we have identified five key advantages of this solution:
1. Optimized Land Use: By combining agricultural and solar production, the overall efficiency of a plot can increase by over 60%, according to several studies.
2. Protection Against Climate Hazards: The panels offer partial shade, reducing water stress and damage from hail, wind, or heatwaves.
3. Reduced Evaporation: Shading helps retain soil moisture, decreasing the need for irrigation.
5. Diversification of Agricultural Income: Options include electricity sales, self-consumption, or leasing land to third parties — the models are diverse.
6. Landscape Integration and Biodiversity: By avoiding the development of new land, the environment is preserved.
Studies by the Fraunhofer ISE Institute in Germany show that agrivoltaics can increase land-use efficiency by 186%. Crops remain viable (with up to 80–90% yield depending on the case), and the electricity production largely offsets this slight reduction.
Several technological models exist:
- Elevated structures (2 meters or more) to allow agricultural machinery to pass.
- Vertical bifacial installations, such as those from Next2Sun, offering optimal sunlight exposure and crop rows between panels.
- Semi-transparent or tiltable panels, suited to specific crops or livestock.
To ensure agrivoltaics works, we recommend:
- Adapting the technology to the type of crop (orientation, height, density).
- Respecting agricultural cycles and mechanization needs.
- Involving farmers in project design.
- Demonstrating effective dual land use to access public funding in some countries.
As climate goals accelerate, agrivoltaics is increasingly emerging as a necessity. Enerdeal, as a major player in industrial solar energy, advocates for a collaborative approach between farmers, developers, and public authorities.
We build tailor-made agrivoltaic installations, adapted to your agricultural constraints, and can also offer financing solutions to support the implementation of your project. The potential is immense, especially in Luxembourg.
Essential Insights and Clarifications on Agrivoltaic
It’s the combination of agricultural activity with solar electricity production on the same plot. Enerdeal designs systems that enable this dual use without compromising agricultural performance.
No, if the panels are well adapted. Some crops even benefit from the partial shade. Enerdeal selects the most suitable models for each terrain and crop type.
Yes. Agrivoltaics allows additional income through electricity sales or self-consumption, while maintaining productive farming. Enerdeal offers tailored solutions that ensure profitability.
Not all, but many are compatible: vegetables, forage, vineyards, berries, pasture... Enerdeal assesses the feasibility of each project based on existing crops and the farmer's goals.
In several countries, subsidies are available for projects combining agriculture and renewable energy. Enerdeal helps clients secure funding and prepare applications.
Solar installations last 25 to 30 years. Enerdeal also provides ongoing monitoring and maintenance to ensure long-term performance.
Yes, particularly in elevated systems. Sheep or cattle can effectively coexist with solar installations — something Enerdeal has successfully tested on multiple sites.
Enerdeal conducts a full feasibility study: solar exposure, soil characteristics, access, regulatory constraints... to evaluate the agrivoltaic potential of each plot.
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