Agrivoltaics

Agrivoltaics (agrophotovoltaics, agrisolar, or dual-use solar) is the dual use of land for solar energy and agriculture. The technique was first conceived by Adolf Goetzberger and Armin Zastrow in 1981.

Many agricultural activities can be combined with solar, including plant crops, livestock, greenhouses, and wild plants to provide pollinator support. Agrivoltaic systems can include solar panels between crops, elevated above crops, or on greenhouses.

Solar panels help plants to retain moisture and lower temperatures, and can provide shelter for livestock animals. The dual use of land can also provide a diversified income stream for farmers.

Solar panels block light, which means that the design of dual use systems can require trade-offs between optimizing crop yield, crop quality, and energy production. Some crops and livestock benefit from the increased shade, lessening or even eliminating the trade-off.

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