Agrivoltaics, also known as "dual-use" farming, is the practice of combining agriculture and solar energy production on the same land. This innovative approach has gained significant attention in recent years, as it offers a range of benefits, including increased food production and renewable energy generation. Explore some of the key reasons why investing in agrivoltaics is a wise decision.
1. Maximizing Land Use Efficiency
Agrivoltaics allows farmers to use their land for two purposes simultaneously, making the most efficient use of their resources. Instead of having to choose between using their land for agriculture or solar energy production, farmers can do both. This means that they can generate income from food production and the sale of renewable energy.
2. Increased Crop Yields
Agrivoltaics has been shown to increase crop yields in some cases by as much as 60%. This is because the solar panels provide a range of benefits to the crops growing beneath them. They offer shade, which can help to reduce water loss through evapotranspiration and lower temperatures, which can reduce heat stress on the crops. They also help to reduce wind speeds, which can prevent damage to plants and reduce water loss through evaporation. Furthermore, the panels can be adjusted to optimize the amount of light that reaches the crops, which can also improve yields.
3. Reduced Water Usage
Water scarcity is a significant issue in many parts of the world, and agriculture is a major consumer of water resources. Agrivoltaics can help to reduce water usage in agriculture by providing shade to the crops, thereby reducing water loss through evapotranspiration. Additionally, solar panels can be used to power irrigation systems, making them more sustainable and reducing the reliance on fossil fuels.
4. Increased Renewable Energy Generation
Agrivoltaics can help to increase the production of renewable energy, which is crucial for addressing climate volatility. By combining solar energy production with agriculture, farmers can generate a significant amount of renewable energy without taking up additional land. This can help to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels and mitigate the impacts of climate change.
5. Diversification of Income Streams
Agrivoltaics offers farmers the opportunity to diversify their income streams. Instead of relying solely on income from agriculture, they can also generate income from the sale of renewable energy. This can help to stabilize their income and make them more resilient to economic and environmental shocks.
The French company Sun’Agri has developed Agrivoltaics systems that sheltered vineyards from extreme heat conditions and reduced water consumption by the vines from 12-34%. In the Netherlands, H2arvester’s unique mobile solar panels solar panels move autonomously on agricultural land to produce renewable electricity without a loss of crop production. Other farmers in the United States are exploring how grazing sheep on solar farms can reduce the need for mowing around the panels while producing quality grassfed livestock. Agrivoltaics is a promising approach to addressing some of the major environmental challenges farmers face, while increasing food production and returns.