Agrivoltaics: What it is, and why it’s key to scaling up solar

A win-win solution

Today, solar is a mature technology, ready to rise to the challenge of helping to meet Paris Agreement goals. It already offers the cheapest source of electricity in history and has expanded by a record 26% in 2022.

Agrivoltaics provides an opportunity to rapidly expand solar with minimum impacts to agricultural land, which will be key to building the necessary trust and support with all stakeholders. But this isn’t a compromise; agrivoltaics brings additional benefits of its own.

Multiple uses, multiple benefits

At Lightsource bp’s Elm Branch solar farm in Texas, for example, the revenue from agrivoltaics allowed a family to live the dream of farming sheep full time. There, managed grazing has also helped rejuvenate the soil, providing the baseline for healthy insect and bird populations, while controlling the vegetation around the panels in a natural, effective way.

Ultimately, a farmer’s biggest concern is the productivity of their land. Research from the US has suggested that agrivoltaics can significantly boost crop growth by allowing the soil below panels to retain more water. And the shade the panels provide improves the wellbeing of livestock.