Agrivoltaics

Volta Group and Richel Group have commissioned a photovoltaic greenhouse in France for kiwi cultivation.

Researchers in Italy have conceived new agrivoltaic modeling for agrivoltaics that includes crop yield response curves for multiple crops. Once the electricity production coming from the PV modules is also assessed, the performance metrics for the agrivoltaic system as a whole are obtained.

Fraunhofer ISE and German weather protection specialist VOEN Vöhringer are testing an agrivoltaic system that uses existing crop cover structures to support solar modules, eliminating the need for a dedicated mounting system.

Researchers at Cornell University in the U.S. have developed a novel optimization model for agrivoltaic site design and benefits, which was demonstrated using irrigation-optimization relative to economic and environmental goals.

An Italian startup supported by a group of scientists is developing a V-shaped agrivoltaic system that can reportedly find optimal application with bifacial modules and single-axis tracking. The proposed system configuration is claimed to reduce land use by 24 % compared to conventional setups.

Italy has launched a second agrivoltaics tender, allocating €323 million ($348.4 million) in unused funds from the first round, which awarded 1.5 GW of capacity in December 2024. Developers have until June 30 to submit bids.

Scientists in Japan have conducted a field experiment in rice plantations hosting agrivoltaics systems and have found that rice growth can be affected by reduced biomass and reduced panicle number. However, their analysis has also shown that gross return in lowland rice agrivoltaics can be 14 times higher than rice growth without PV.

California Governor Gavin Newsom has expedited BayWa re’s 300 MW Cornucopia Hybrid agrivoltaic project, streamlining judicial review and cutting permitting delays.

An Italian research team has found that radicchio seedlings grown in a lab-scale greenhouse with a perovskite solar PV roof exhibited faster growth and larger leaves than the bare glass reference. In addition, simulations of such a PV roof revealed a positive energy balance, satisfying the energy demands of a typical greenhouse located in Italy.

Researchers in Canada have compared strawberry growth under uniform illumination from semi-transparent thin-film cadmium telluride panels and non-uniform illumination from semi-transparent crystalline silicon modules. Their analysis considered metrics such as fresh weight, height, leaf count, chlorophyll content, soil temperature and humidity.