Agrivoltaics: How Solar Panels and Farming Work Together

Agrivoltaics webinar offered Aug. 25

Program hosted by University of Minnesota Extension

Agrivoltaics: How Solar Panels and Farming Work Together

What if the same acre of land could produce both food and electricity? That question drives one of the most promising innovations in sustainable agriculture: agrivoltaics. By mounting solar panels above cropland, farmers can harvest sunlight twice, generating renewable energy while maintaining food production beneath the arrays. The concept has moved well beyond theory. As of 2026, an estimated 18 to 20 gigawatts of agrivoltaic capacity operate …

Germany: Combining solar farming with hydroponic growing systems

There's more to sustainable farming than combining solar panels with agriculture (known as Agri-PV). In a project called CircularFarming.IN.NRW, the company SUNfarming GmbH is teaming up with TH Köln (a university) and Nourtec GmbH to test new ideas that combine Agri-PV with hydroponics. The goal is to…

Agrivoltaics can reduce soil temperatures by more than 20 C - pv magazine Global

Agrivoltaic systems can significantly alter the microclimate around crops, with soil temperatures recorded at more than 20 C below those measured in directly exposed areas, according to Giuseppe Ferrara, professor at the University of Bari. Ferrara’s team is currently taking field measurements at two pilot sites developed through a collaboration between the University of Bari, Italy’s ENEA research agency, startup Agridatalog, and other partner …