The renewable energy arm of French energy giant Total called Total Quadran will be installing close to 500 MW of solar PV capacity on agricultural land by 2025 in partnership with the French national union of agricultural cooperatives, InVivo Group that's participating in the program through its subsidiary Agrosolutions.
Under the agreement, Total Quadran will provide PV solutions such as sun-shades, windbreaks, panels mounted on trackers, and conventional self-consumption installations. Agricultural land spread on 200 hectares has been identified for the solar PV installations.
Energy produced through this capacity should be enough for electricity consumption of over 500,000 people, and also lead to job creation through an increase in farm productivity, they claim.
Both the partners will establish a research & development unit to explore agrivoltaics with an intent to define concrete economic models for such projects while identifying challenges for the field and figuring out realistic and achievable solutions.
"We are convinced that cooperation between energy companies and stakeholders in the agricultural world can promote the growth of renewable energies in a way that benefits all stakeholders," said General Manager of Total Quadran, Thierry Muller.
While the solar PV technology deployed on agricultural land is still in its infancy, research by the Oregon State University says both these elements complement each other, especially croplands, grasslands and wetlands are best to promote agrivoltaics (see Farmlands Most Productive For Solar Panels, Claims Study).
Elsewhere in Europe, a 110 MW agrivoltaic farm is being built in the Netherlands next to Blueberry Farm that's due to come online in H2/2020 (see Construction Begins On 110 MW Agrivoltaic PV Plant).