To enable additional benefits for agriculture and the energy sector, SolarPower Europe has published a guide on agrisolar, showing through examples how farmers and landowners can benefit from implementing agrisolar projects on their farms.
The guide states that agrisolar can particularly benefit rural communities and economies by creating jobs, generating community revenue, and, for instance, improving energy security. By using their own renewable energy, farmers can reduce energy costs.
It also helps reduce water consumption through irrigation. Specific examples include lower temperatures under solar panels, as well as reduced evapotranspiration—the process by which water evaporates from soil into the atmosphere. Panels installed above crops lower temperatures, which leads to less water evaporation from the soil.
This becomes increasingly important with rising temperatures and extreme weather events caused by climate change, as it helps improve crop resilience.
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Farmers who use agrisolar systems have access to modern renewable energy technologies, such as smart irrigation systems and precision farming, as the solar panels allow them to use their own energy to power these advanced tools. These technologies optimize resource use, reduce costs, and increase productivity, making agriculture more efficient and sustainable, the guide states.
In terms of crops, solar panels protect them from extreme weather conditions such as droughts, intense sunlight, floods, or hail. Panels installed above the ground create shade, reducing direct sunlight and moisture loss, allowing for the growth of plants that might not survive under intense sun. In this way, agrisolar systems help increase plant diversity and improve conditions for other biodiversity species, such as bees and birds. Additionally, the shade provided by the panels creates more comfortable and safer conditions for animals grazing in the fields.
More specific data shows that agrisolar models can contribute up to 60 percent higher yields, increase pollinator presence by 60 percent, and improve soil temperature by 7°C. For more information and specific examples, you can access the guide here.
