Agriculture

This special edition explores how farmers can use land more efficiently by combining agriculture with solar energy. It also covers technology, insurance and the shift to e-mobility in farming.

The agrivoltaics specialist is raising up to €5 million to fund a pipeline that includes more than 70 MW planned for 2027, betting its morning-and-evening generation profile gives it an edge over conventional solar plants.

Researchers at the University of Hohenheim found that barley, maize, potatoes and other sun-loving crops physiologically adapt to shading beneath solar panels, offering a new tool for crop selection.

Next2Sun argues that combining south-facing and vertical installations can expand connected capacity by around 60 percent while cutting infrastructure costs and improving market returns.

Agri-PV systems help farmers generate renewable energy, protect crops and maintain yields against climate pressures. This feature covers core technologies, planning strategies and top service providers.

A 20-hectare canopy of semi-transparent modules produced 1.85 million kilowatt-hours in year one, with farmers reporting stronger fruit quality under its shade.

Podcast (German): Valuable agricultural land can serve two purposes: as pasture or arable land and for generating clean solar power. Stephan Schindele has played a central role in industrialising agrivoltaics, both at Fraunhofer ISE and at BayWa r.e. He explains the advantages these systems offer farmers and where the pitfalls lie.

A new partnership between OIEH and AIAS aims to accelerate agrivoltaics deployment through shared expertise, joint conferences and coordinated proposals on regulation, drawing on Italy's established track record in the sector.

Four international banks are backing European Energy's 225 MW Vizzini plant, which combines utility-scale generation with animal grazing, positioning agrivoltaics as a bankable asset class in Italy.

High demand is already shaping up for EnergyDecentral 2026, and DLG continues to accept exhibitor applications ahead of the trade fair‘s opening in Hannover on 10 November.

Farmers rarely have time to master permits, mapping and grid procedures alongside the day job. Developers such as Hamburg-based Metavolt now handle the entire journey, from initial idea to completed installation.

Podcast: Elevated solar modules and solar fences let farmers generate clean power on pastures and arable land. Stephan Schindele has played a central role in industrialising agrivoltaics at both Fraunhofer ISE and BayWa r.e., and explains how agricultural transformation and the energy transition connect, benefiting farmers and investors alike, with several European countries already leading the way on large-scale projects.

Our new feature on solar energy for farmers explores the latest trends in agri-PV and how farms are using the sun to boost self-sufficiency. The special edition is available to download free of charge.

Providers, growers and researchers will convene at Château Gassies on 13 and 14 October 2026 to share the latest findings on combining crop production with solar generation across European conditions.

Free to download: This special issue highlights the dual use of land as a key aspect of the solar energy transition in agriculture. Alongside the latest technological developments, it also covers the emerging business models for solar installations on farmland.

Two new Agri-PV installations in Morcone and Acquafredda mark RWE's entry into the Italian market, with elevated tracker systems designed to shade crops while adding 19 MW of solar capacity to the grid.

The installation in Lodi is projected to outperform a comparable TOPCon-based system by more than 633 MWh over 30 years.

Configuring solar arrays around the light spectrum plants actually use can substantially raise energy yields while leaving crop growth unaffected, Australian researchers report.

The DLG is accepting submissions for its 2026 Innovation Awards until 31 July, offering Energy Decentral exhibitors in Hanover a broad marketing package and stronger presence at the fair.

OIEH research shows the country could generate significant renewable output using just five percent of its farmland, while also supporting food production.

Farmers, financiers and public authorities gathered in Barcelona to discuss regulation, finance and technology as Catalonia positions itself at the forefront of Spain's agrivoltaic push.

The 225 MW installation outside Vizzini will be refinanced via a CfD awarded through a competitive process in which generation cost was only one of several criteria.

German vertical PV specialist Next2Sun and Norwegian technology firm Over Easy Solar have agreed a cooperation on joint sales and marketing across selected European markets.

The project is being developed as both a demonstration site and a research platform to assess the long-term potential of agrivoltaics in arid climates.

At a family-run trout farm in eastern France, 500 kWp of Hi-MO X10 panels and 400 kVA of inverter capacity protect stock from herons while supplying aeration, cold storage and site infrastructure.