Agrivoltaics has demonstrated a responsible way to integrate solar energy and traditional agriculture
As the world’s population climbs toward a projected 9.7 billion by 2050, the twin problems of climate change and food production have the leaders of the agricultural scientific community scrambling for solutions. Enter, Agrivoltaics.

Agrivoltaics, also known as "solar sharing," is a concept that has spread across the globe like wild sweet potato vines. The concept involves creating solar panel farms, growing food crops between rows or, in some cases, grazing livestock. Perhaps the first benefit one might think of is the opportunity to generate multiple streams of income from the same location. But field studies have shown a mutually beneficial relationship between plants and panels in the ground temperature, humidity and reduction of atmospheric carbon dioxide.

Even as a growing number of large solar parks push for more photovoltaic modules to be installed on the frames, maintenance questions are being asked. Consider incorporating sheep herding into the value of the operation to keep it low and sloppy. Meanwhile, the largest grid-connected solar installation on earth is still under construction in ABU Dhabi, with a planned capacity of 1,177 megawatts, which is set to rival fossil fuel plants in scale. Combine this with the current experiment of growing peppers and cherry tomatoes in panel rows and one will soon see some of the potential benefits that experts agree are a bright opportunity.
An idea for a grape

Deep in the wine country of the world, French scientists are combining vineyards with solar panels. Given that vines are among the plants most vulnerable to climate change, French solar developer Sun ’r and its subsidiary Sun’Agri have teamed up with the government’s Environmental and Energy Administration to set up a photovoltaic system for viticultural agriculture in south-eastern France. A 1,000-square-metre vineyard with Grenache grapes includes a 600-square-metre dynamic system with 280 panels that generates 84 kilowatts of power. The panels are placed at a height of 4.2 meters and moved in real time through an ARTIFICIAL intelligence algorithm that determines the tilt of the panels to maximize sunlight and water demand. The program also USES panels to help protect crops from rain, frost and hail.
Preliminary results from the project show that the panel structure protects vines from stunting during heat waves and reduces water demand by 12-34 per cent by reducing the amount of evaporation, or water evaporation, through the soil. Tests showed that the grapes’ aroma characteristics were improved, with a 13 per cent increase in anthocyanin (red pigment) and a 9 to 14 per cent increase in acidity.

Scheduled to move from the demonstration phase to commercialization in 2022 by 2020, the developers plan to expand the model to greenhouses and other foods.
Value maximization

Back in the US, meanwhile, the Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) is working with universities in Arizona and Maryland to produce chilies and cherry tomatoes.
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One of the challenges of large-scale solar panel operations, the researchers noted, is the "heat island" effect, because photovoltaic arrays cause temperature increases. Past solutions involving the use of gravel floor coverings have only made the situation worse, causing numerous problems with the performance of temperature-sensitive panels. They found that replacing gravel with vegetation yielded overall benefits. Under the panel, the scientists monitored light levels, air temperature and relative humidity as well as humidity at a depth of five centimeters for three months of the growing season. The control field and the intervention field -- with and without photovoltaic panels -- received the same irrigation on both tests, daily and every two days, respectively.
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