In an era in which the soil consumption It is an increasingly felt problem, and in which small farms struggle to survive, the growing Investments in renewable sources As a photovoltaic or wind can they can paradoxically “compete“With theagriculture and occupy areas suitable for the production of food and “natural” spaces not influenced by human activities. For this reason there is a growing interest in Mixed solutionswhich allow the production of energy of coexist With agriculture and nature, if not to favor it, guaranteeing more controlled conditions and constituting a source of savings or additional income for companies. Thus was born theagrivoltaica sustainable solution that allows to produce renewable energy using agricultural land without subtracting them from their primary destination.
Thanks to the use of specific panels positioned at greater height and the choice of crops that prefer shadowit is possible to exploit sunlight for both needs or it is possible to cover the waterways with solar panels, decreasing the evaporation. From 1 April 2025, it is possible to request new PNRR incentives through the AGRIVOLTAIC 2025 call, aimed at promoting innovative experimental innovative agrivoltaic systems.
The advantages of the agrivoltaic: solar panels in the cultivated fields
The energy supplied by the sun is the main resource for the development of plants, including those crops that make up the basis of human nutrition. THE photovoltaic panels exploit, not only agricultural soil, but also the same solar radiation for generate energythus entering live competition with plants: it would seem impossible to coexist the two realities, but decades of studies have shown that it is possible.
Choosing crops that do not require large quantities of sun, and that rather can benefit guaranteed by the panels during the hottest months, it is possible to combine the needs of agriculture with the generation of energy. The Panel structures used for this purpose are designed in order to allow the use of machinery normally used in agriculture: they usually come positioned at greater height Compared to the classic panels on the ground, and with density studied for Reduce shading during the day.
Among more suitable crops, based on studies carried out in Germany, they have been highlighted vegetables and tuberssuch as potatoes or lettuce, followed by plants such as cucumbers or carrots: for these plants, the Effects of partial shadows they were evaluated as nulli, if not even advantageouscompared to culture in the open field. Conversely, crops such as wheat or corn have recorded great rendering reductions with respect to cultivation in the open field, therefore revealing themselves unsuitable for coexistence with the panels.
Another interesting possibility is given by Semi-transparent panelsdesigned to absorb only a part of sun radiation. The sunlight is in fact composed of electromagnetic waves with a different wavelength, starting from the harmful UV rays (ultraviolet) passing through the visible light and finishing in the IR (infrared). The same visible light can be broken down into Several “colors” corresponding to bands of wavelength ranging from blue-violet to red.
Panels capable of absorbing only part of the visible spectrum They can allow plants cultivation, limiting the loss of surrender. A 2023 study published on Scientific Report reported the Variations of growth For tomato plants, basil and petunia, depending on the part of the spectrum “seized” by the panels. Analyzing differences in the growth of the plant, structure of the branches and production of fruits, the data of this study lay the foundations for further research on how to maximize and perfect the use of these semi-transparent panels.
Floating photovoltaics: water savings and cooling of the panels
Another option is the Cover of channels o Water mirrors with solar panels, on fixed or floating structures: an accommodation that at the same time allows Reduce the evaporation of water bodies and cool the panelsguaranteeing an increase in energy yield.
A study by SortIerra Nevada Research Institute and the ENVironmental Studies Department (University of California) estimated that the coverage of the 6350 km of California channels could Avoid evaporation of almost 40 thousand m3 of water per year. At the same time, such a solution would provide useful energy for the water distribution and pumping systems in the cultivated areas, which currently require estimated consumption in 12% of the total energy used in the state and in the most isolated areas, this energy is still supplied above all by diesel generators.
Obviously, cover thousands of km of channels with solar panels It is a titanic enterprisebut the results of this study show how it is possible to cover large areas avoiding the consumption of soil dedicated exclusively to photovoltaic systems. There practical feasibility It was demonstrated by small systems, the first of which was the channel of the Gujarat District in India: a system of about 750 metersinaugurated in 2015 and soon followed by larger projects.
India has invested heavily in photovoltaics, with a production of 36.6 GW only in 2020: according to Gujarat State Electricity Corporation, cover the 30% of the state channels with solar panels would guarantee a soil saving of about 90 thousand acres of land (about 360 square km).
