GOOD COMBINATIONS: PHOTOVOLTAICS WITH …
Sources: Fraunhofer Institute, Inrae

Leafy vegetables
Shade tolerance, proven increase in yield
Wine growing
Reduction in sugar content, protection against drying out


Fruit growing
Shade tolerance, protection against weather influences
Grass
Protection from sun and wind, retains water in dry periods









Elevated panels
Elevated agri-PV panels are suitable for allmost every field crop and are four to six meters high; the rods usually have to be concreted into the ground.
NOMINAL POWER:
2.95 MWp
is achieved by the AgriPV
plant in Verdonnet
(France, 3ha)
Source: TSE
PROS AND CONS
Traffic and field work hardly affected
Even light Distribution
Heavier weight and higher installation costs
GREENHOUSES
Greenhouses can be retrofitted with panels. Semi-transparent modules are a good choice to prevent excessive shading.
PROS AND CONS
Energy autonomy
Protection against extreme temperatures
Risk of yield reduction for certain greenhouse crops
GROUND-LEVEL PANELS
Ground-level systems are about two meters high, meaning they do not require a concrete foundation. Bifacial panels convert the radiation on the front and back into electricity.
NOMINAL POWER:
4.1 MWp
is produced by
the Donaueschingen plant
(Germany, 14ha)
Source: Next2Sun
PROS AND CONS
Wind protection effect (prevents crop from lodging)
Light distribution calibrated by height and row spacing
Lower installation and maintenance costs
Limitations for certain field equipment

Agri-PV generates
32 x
more electricity/ha
than maize biomass
Source: Fraunhofer Institute
The challenge
Electricity grid?
Electricity grid?
Grid connectivity in rural areas shows room for improvement
Is it worth it?
Is it worth it?
Amortization depends heavily on the current energy price
What do I grow?
What do I grow?
Current knowledge status insufficient for effective crop management
Regulation?
Regulation?
Scattered regulatory framework across Europe
Permission?
Permission?
Complex approval process in many countries
Acceptance?
Acceptance?
Impact on landscape: Low acceptance among the population
Inconsistent yield effects
Current figures tend to indicate a decline in crop yields…
For example, the APV-RESOLA project recorded
a productivity of
−28 % to +3 %
in wheat for the years 2017 to 2020.
Source: Fraunhofer Institute
… but:
Experts see improvement potential through variety selection and agri-PV-compatible farming practices.
These are currently under development.
Many farmers also report
positive experiences

5.6 %
yield increase
For maize, a trial in Japan showed a yield increase of 5.6% under low-density PV systems.
Source: Takashi Sekiyama, University of Kyoto
10 – 17 %
yield increase
The Channay Agri-PV demonstrator (bifacial vertical panels, France) recorded yield increases of 10 to 17% in cereals on soils with low yield potential (2022, early and severe drying of surface soils).
Source: Next2sun

10 – 45 %
higher yields
In France, the vinery Nidolères achieved 10 to 45% higher yields in different grape varieties.
Source: Sun’Agri



LAND USE EFFICIENCY
Aggregated crop and energy yields reflect the productivity gain of a plot.
BENEFITS
Mixed use leads to a higher overall return and serves as risk diversification
- Example: Grain yield at 80% and energy yield at 50% of the reference area
- Reference area for ground-mounted PV
- Reference area for grain

LEGAL STANDARDS FOR AGRI-PV
Germany
- Maximum area loss: 15% (ground-level systems), 10% (elevated systems)
- Yield ≥ 2/3 of the yield average before panel installation
France
- Projected area of the panels: Maximum 40% of the field
- Height and distance of the installation must allow for traffic and safety conditions
- Yield ≥ 90%, compared to a control zone
Italy
- Since May 2024, ground-mounted PV has been banned across the board on agricultural land
- Agri-PV remains permitted (as of June 2024); minimum height of panels: 2.1m
- No specification of yield targets, but obligation to document.
Sources: DIN SPEC 91434:2021-05; legifrance.gouv.fr; terraevita.edagricole.it