Agrivoltaics: The Smart Fusion of Farming and Solar

The world faces a growing challenge: how to meet the rising demand for both food and clean energy while land becomes scarcer. Expanding solar farms often means taking land away from agriculture, while prioritizing crops can slow renewable energy growth. This competition between food and energy production is becoming one of the defining sustainability dilemmas of our time.

Agrivoltaics offers a practical solution. By combining solar panels and agriculture on the same land, it allows farmers to produce food and electricity together. This dual-use approach not only improves land efficiency but can also help crops thrive under controlled shade and microclimates.

In this article, we’ll explore what agrivoltaics is, how it works, and where artificial intelligence can make these systems smarter and more productive. You’ll also discover how Omdena builds custom AI solutions that help organizations design, monitor, and optimize agrivoltaic projects at scale. Let’s get started.

What Is Agrivoltaics? Overview, Types & Benefits

Agrivoltaics simply means using the same piece of land for both farming and solar power generation. Instead of choosing between growing crops or installing solar panels, this approach combines the two. It’s often called a “dual-use” system because it allows farmers to produce food and clean energy from the same area of land. This makes land use more efficient and supports both agricultural productivity and renewable energy goals at the same time.

Image Credit – Tata Power

There are a few main types of agrivoltaic systems. Some farms install solar panels high enough for tractors and equipment to move underneath. Others place the panels between crop rows or in open fields shared with livestock for grazing. In some regions, solar panels are even built into greenhouses, helping regulate temperature and power the facility at once. Each design can be adapted to local crops, weather, and energy needs.

Let’s take a look at some of the benefits of agrivoltaics –

However, there are still challenges. Some crops may not thrive in partial shade, and the setup costs for elevated panels can be higher. Local regulations and land-use rules can also slow adoption in many countries. Yet, with growing research and smarter technology, these systems are becoming easier to design and manage.

To understand why shade, light, and temperature play such an important role, let’s look at the science behind how agrivoltaics work and how these microclimates affect crop growth and energy production.

The Science Behind Agrivoltaics

Solar panels in an agrivoltaic system do more than produce clean energy. They also create a new kind of growing environment beneath them. The shade from the panels reduces the amount of direct sunlight hitting the plants and soil. This keeps the air and leaves cooler. Studies show that shaded areas can be up to 5 °C cooler and about 10% more humid. The soil also stays moist for longer because less water evaporates. This helps crops use water more efficiently, especially in dry or hot climates.

Not all crops react the same way to this setup. Shade-tolerant plants such as lettuce, spinach, cabbage, tomatoes, and herbs usually grow well under moderate shading. On the other hand, crops that need full sunlight, like wheat or corn, may produce less if too much light is blocked. That’s why the system’s design is so important. The height of the panels, their spacing, and the angle they are tilted at all influence how much light and air reach the crops. For instance, panels mounted higher allow more sunlight to pass through and give farm machinery space to move easily.

Photo Credit – KVK Ujwa

There’s also a fascinating two-way relationship between the plants and the panels. When plants release water vapor during transpiration, they cool the surrounding air. This natural cooling helps solar panels stay at a lower temperature, which improves their energy output. In short, the plants help the panels perform better, while the panels protect the plants from extreme heat.

Today, advanced computer models help researchers and engineers design these systems with greater precision. Using simulation tools and AI-based models, they can test different panel layouts, angles, and crop arrangements before implementation. Omdena helps organizations with exactly that. We can help simulate real-world conditions and design agrivoltaic systems optimized for both energy production and crop performance. Feel free to book an exploration call today.

Now, let’s look at where artificial intelligence fits in and how it helps build smarter, more efficient agrivoltaic systems.

Where AI Fits In: Building Smart Agrivoltaic Systems

When artificial intelligence is applied to agrivoltaics, it turns a complex mix of farming and solar design into a smarter, more precise process. Instead of relying on manual calculations or trial and error, AI helps plan, predict, and manage every step of the system. Here are four key ways it adds value:

Site Selection and Layout Design

Choosing the right location and layout is the foundation of any agrivoltaic project. AI and machine learning tools can analyze data such as satellite images, soil quality, elevation, and sunlight patterns to find the most suitable areas for installation. Using “digital twin” simulations, engineers can visualize how panels and crops will interact through different seasons. They can test the height, angle, and spacing of solar panels before construction even begins. This helps ensure maximum sunlight for both crops and panels while saving time and cost during setup.

Image Source – Terabase Energy

Yield and Energy Prediction

After selecting the site, AI can estimate how much energy and food the system will produce. By analyzing past weather records, soil moisture levels, solar radiation, and historical crop yields, AI models can forecast both harvest output and electricity generation. This helps farmers and developers understand potential profits and plan investments with more confidence.

Sensor-Based Climate and Crop Optimization

Once the system is running, sensors installed in the field collect real-time data on soil moisture, temperature, light intensity, and panel performance. AI platforms process this data instantly to fine-tune daily operations. For example, the system can adjust irrigation when the soil gets dry or change the angle of the panels to provide more or less shade. This level of automation helps both crops and solar panels perform at their best throughout the year.

Image Credit – SoilSense

Maintenance, Performance, and Financial Analysis

AI can also detect problems early and optimize maintenance schedules. Predictive algorithms track the health of panels and alert operators about possible faults before they cause energy loss. On the financial side, AI models combine data on crop yields, electricity sales, and costs to give stakeholders a clear view of profitability.

Omdena can support each of these stages from design to optimization. We build custom AI models, integrate sensor data, and develop interactive dashboards. Together, these solutions help organizations design smarter agrivoltaic systems that balance productivity, efficiency, and sustainability. Feel free to book a call to discuss how we can help.

Next, let’s look at the real projects from around the world that show how agrivoltaics is turning theory into practice.

Global Examples of Agrivoltaics Projects

TSE Agrivoltaic Program, France

French energy company TSE has launched one of Europe’s largest agrivoltaic pilot programs. It covers about 60 hectares across 10 sites. Each site uses solar panels raised five meters above crops. This balance of climate & energy needs mirrors strategies in advanced solar energy mapping projects, which evaluate environment, demand and solar performance together . This allows farm machinery to operate underneath. The panels rotate to control sunlight and shade which helps balance crop growth and energy generation. 

In 2023, France also introduced the APÉR Law, which officially recognized agrivoltaics and required that farming remain the land’s primary purpose. This project highlights how technology and policy can work together to support both agriculture and renewable energy in a temperate climate.

Parbhani Solar Farm Project, India

In India, the Parbhani Agrivoltaic Project combines a 1.4 MW solar farm with crops like leafy greens, millet, and medicinal plants grown beneath the panels. These shade-tolerant crops performed as well as or better than those grown in open fields. The initiative aligns with India’s PM-KUSUM scheme, which encourages farmers to produce solar energy alongside crops. However, challenges remain in financing, scaling, and farmer adoption.

Photo Credit – NSEFI GIZ

Together, these examples show how agrivoltaics adapts to very different climates. France demonstrates the value of strong regulation and structured policy, while India highlights the potential of high solar energy and growing government support.

Join Us in Building the Future of Agrivoltaics

Agrivoltaics brings together farming and solar energy in a way that makes land use more sustainable. By growing crops and producing clean power on the same land, we can generate more energy, save water, and make agriculture more resilient to climate challenges.

Artificial intelligence takes this idea to the next level. With AI tools such as data models, sensors, and digital simulations, agrivoltaic systems can be planned and managed for the best possible results. These technologies help predict crop yields, track system performance, and make smarter decisions in real time.

To unlock these benefits, organizations need the right AI expertise. Omdena helps design and build customized AI solutions that move projects from concept to large-scale deployment.

Whether you are a farmer, solar developer, agri-tech company, or utility provider, we invite you to partner with Omdena to create the next generation of sustainable farming. Book an exploration call with us today.