Agriphotovoltaics (‘agri-PV’) aims to combine renewable electricity generation and under-cover agricultural production on the same plot and without competition. Agroscope is involved in the monitoring and agronomic evaluation of crops in several pilot projects.
Berry crops and fruit-tree cultivation are increasingly affected by extreme weather events, which are driving the building of protective structures. At the same time, there is a genuine risk of energy shortages. In this context, agri-PV stands out as a promising solution to meet this two-fold challenge.
At the crossroads of photovoltaic technology, agronomy, the electricity market and land-use planning, agri-PV is in full swing in Switzerland and in the EU. Its use raises different questions. In particular, the optimal transparency for most crops has yet to be defined. Numerous pilot trials are underway at present. Agroscope is collaborating in the agronomic component of certain projects, both on its own experimental sites and at producers’ locations.
