The IEA-PVPS report highlights agrivoltaics as the standard term for dual-use solar PV systems on agricultural land
It stresses the importance of improved modeling and simulation tools to predict performances
For projects to be successful, the report writers recommend key drivers, including early stakeholder involvement
A new report under Task 13 of the International Energy Agency’s Photovoltaic Power Systems Programme (IEA-PVPS) explores the growing use of agrivoltaics in Europe.
The writers offer the report as an essential resource for policymakers, researchers, and industry stakeholders who are looking to exploit the full potential of agrivoltaic systems.
The report starts with the standard terminology for solar PV systems installed on agricultural land that offer dual use of land. It is referred to by various names including agrisolar, agri-PV, agriphotovoltaics, solar sharing, and agrophotovoltaics, among others.
“The complex interactions between the agricultural and PV sectors and the different perceptions of agrivoltaic systems demand high communication efforts to harmonize definitions and clarify targets,” reads the report.
Going by the terminology used in scientific publications every year, the report writers believe agrivoltaics is the standard term for such installations.
As interest in this application grows, the writers emphasize modeling and simulation of agrivoltaic systems to reliably predict agricultural and electrical performances. This will enable optimizing system design. They point out that while several software platforms or algorithms exist for modeling PV system yield, crop yield, and microclimate separately, there still exists a need for the development of more modeling tools to predict PV output and agricultural yields simultaneously. They also opine that more studies must be carried out.
As for the project implementation, the IEA PVPS team lists early stakeholder involvement, a supportive policy environment and incentive programs, and transparent performance standards as the key drivers for successful agrivoltaic projects.
Apart from the above, the report also provides insights into the legal and socio-economic aspects influencing agrivoltaic market development.
The IEA-PVPS report is titled Dual Land Use for Agriculture and Solar Power Production: Overview and Performance of Agrivoltaic Systems. The complete report is available for free download on the IEA PVPS website.