Agrivoltaics

How Agrivoltaics Works

• Panel layout: Solar modules are mounted on frames that are raised or spaced to let sunlight, water, and farm equipment reach the ground. The tilt and height are chosen so that crops receive a controlled amount of shade, often 30‑50% of peak solar irradiance.
• Dual use: While the panels convert sunlight into electricity, the land underneath continues to support plants, orchards, or grazing animals. Farmers can still use tractors, irrigation, and harvest equipment because the array is designed for easy access.

Why It Matters

• Land efficiency: In regions where arable land is scarce, agrivoltaics lets the same hectare produce both food and power, reducing the need to convert natural habitats into farms or solar farms.
• Micro‑climate benefits: The shade from panels lowers soil temperature and reduces evaporation, saving up to 30% of irrigation water in hot, dry climates.
• Yield improvements: Moderate shading can protect sensitive crops from heat stress. A 2022 field trial in Israel’s Negev desert showed tomato yields 15‑20% higher under 40% shading, while generating 1.5 MW of solar capacity per hectare.
• Economic resilience: Farmers gain a steady revenue stream from electricity sales or power‑purchase agreements, diversifying income and buffering against crop price volatility.

Concrete Example

In the kibbutz of Yotvata, a 2‑hectare agrivoltaic system was installed in 2021. The array produces 1.2 MW of clean electricity, enough to power the kibbutz’s processing plant, while the shaded area cultivates dates and peppers. Water use dropped by 25%, and the pepper harvest increased by 12% compared with a traditional field.

Relevance to Israel

Israel enjoys some of the world’s highest solar irradiance (≈2,200 kWh m⁻² yr⁻¹) but has limited cultivable land and chronic water scarcity. National programs, such as the Israel Innovation Authority’s “Solar‑Agri” grant, encourage agrivoltaic pilots to boost food security and meet the country’s goal of generating 30% of electricity from renewables by 2030. By pairing solar farms with agriculture, Israel can maximize land productivity, conserve water, and accelerate its clean‑energy transition.

Looking Ahead

Advances in bifacial panels, tracking systems, and crop‑specific shading models are expanding the range of crops that can thrive under solar arrays. As more data confirm yield and water benefits, agrivoltaics is poised to become a standard practice in arid and semi‑arid regions worldwide.