Combining agricultural production and solar energy production, agrivoltaics makes it possible to install photovoltaic panels on an agricultural plot, to protect crops and livestock from climatic hazards.
Discover how agrivoltaic shade houses can contribute to improving the agronomic potential of plots.
What is an agrivoltaic shade structure ?
Shade structures in brief
The term of shade structure refers to a structure able of accommodating solar panels. Initially encountered in car parks and roadsides as part of The law relating to the acceleration of renewable energies, this promising solution was limited. Indeed, these artificial surfaces do not make it possible to reach the fixed objective of 44 GW by 2028 in France.
From photovoltaic shades to agrivoltaic shades
Faced with the increasing electrification of uses and the need to accelerate the deployment of renewable energies, Agrivoltaics stands out as a promising complementary solution. Indeed, the installation of agrivoltaic shades on 43,600 hectares of agricultural land would be enough to achieve the country's solar objectives, i.e. less than 0.16% of the useful agricultural area in France.
The solar panels installed on a farm can be fixed — they are then oriented to the south — or pivotable, thus being able to follow the course of the sun. Equipped with sensors, these rotating panels can be controlled remotely in an intelligent way in order toBringing light to plants when they need it most and meet their agro-climatic needs. They can also be tilted automatically to promote a homogeneous distribution of rain on crops or optimize animal welfare thanks to partial and rotating shading during heat episodes.
The advantages of agrivoltaic shade
A project to install solar panels on an agricultural plot brings many advantages.
Direct benefits for agriculture
Agrivoltaic awnings allow:
- To provide partial and rotating shade for crops or farms;
- To reduce the temperature of the air and the ground, therefore the heat stress, by protecting the agricultural plot from extreme temperatures;
- To reduce the water stress of plants and thus limit water needs under the panels. Better controlled consumption makes it possible to save 30% water according to ADEME.
The implementation of an agrivoltaics solution is always done in consultation with the farmer. The particularities of livestock, soil and crops are placed at the heart of the project in order to find a balanced solution.
> To read: Agrivoltaics: what are the advantages for a farm?
The benefits of agrivoltaic shade houses for farmers: an additional source of income
Agrivoltaic shades are not only used for protect crops or to shade animals on a plot: the production of green energy, a major challenge in energy transition is not to be overlooked. An annual remuneration is offered by some developers such as TSE, as part of a tripartite agreement with the owner and the farm operator. The annual compensation is then distributed and calculated according to the capacity of the installation at the time of its commissioning. Rental income is guaranteed throughout the lease and is generally indexed to inflation.
This income supplement then makes it possible to diversifying the operator's income, allowing it, for example, to invest in order to improve its operations. In any case, the agrivoltaics project should not harm agricultural activity, which remains the main concern.
In addition, the Common agricultural policy (PAC) integrates agrivoltaics into its support systems for the energy transition. Once certain conditions established by decree are met, and in particular the maintenance of agricultural operations as their main activity and the rural lease for the parcel in question, a farmer may receive PAC grants by hosting an agrivoltaics project.
A solution that respects the farm
An agrivoltaic installation involves numerous studies beforehand in order to guarantee the maintenance of agricultural production as a main activity. The types of crops or livestock are taken into account as well as all technical specificities, such as:
- Agricultural practices : the agrivoltaics solution should not be an obstacle to the use of agricultural machinery. The spacing between the columns of the structure, the direction of location or the height must be compatible with the equipment and agricultural uses.
- The footprint of the installation and its ancillary arrangements to limit the loss of UAS.
- The coverage rate of the structure on the plot, limited to 40% by the decree of April 2024.
- The reversibility of the installation : agrivoltaic shade houses must be arranged in such a way that they can be dismantled without permanently altering the environment or compromising the agricultural capacities of the soil. The plots can be returned to their original condition or reconverted to agricultural uses after the agrivoltaic structures are removed.
The solar energy developer also takes care of the maintenance of the solar panels on the plot. The posts and areas under the panels are regularly cleaned to limit any risk of premature degradation. Properly maintained, solar panels have an average lifespan of 20 years.
Agrivoltaic shades are therefore a central complement to the energy transition: solar energy production is local and carbon-free, in addition to being the most competitive on the market.
> To read: Solar energy: a lever of sovereignty for territories
Choosing an agrivoltaic solution adapted to your farm
There are several agrivoltaic shade solutions adapted to crops, livestock, or even agricultural rotations integrating temporary grasslands. So TSE offers solutions equipped with mobile panels on trackers which make it possible to generate partial and rotating shade, beneficial to plants and farms. Agrivoltaic shade houses adapted to crops and temporary grasslands also benefit from agro-climatic control in particular to increase the luminosity during the key stages of crop growth and to meet the needs of the farmer as closely as possible.
Other solutions also exist.
The TSE crop shade to improve the agro-climatic conditions of plants
Adapted to low and medium crops up to 1m60 in height, TSE grow shade limits high air and soil temperatures and protects against water stress.
Thanks to its dynamic panels, the installation generates dynamic shading that protects crops against climatic hazards (drought, high temperatures, excess light, frost).
This agrivoltaic solution is also equipped with a intelligent control that adapts to the agro-climatic needs of crops. The height and the inclination of solar panels are defined in order to optimize the growth of crops at important moments in their development, or to promote the homogeneous flow of water and limit soil erosion, in the event of heavy rains.
Depending on the configuration, an irrigation system can also be integrated. The farmer is thus in a position tooptimize the irrigation of its land and save up to 30% of its water resources.
> To read: Irrigation and agrivoltaics: a winning duo
The TSE breeding shade: at the service of animal welfare!
Compatible agrivoltaic solution for cattle, sheep and goats, The TSE breeding shade offers significant agronomic benefits. The rotating shading generated by the rotating panels helps to mitigate the effects of climate change on grassland and livestock, animals are protected during hot weather or bad weather, thus reducing their heat stress.
In addition to limiting air and soil temperatures, the yield of the meadow mixture is optimized, which can even double in the hottest month (result observed in Souleuvre en Bocage in 2024) and without compromising on livestock safety. On the contrary, thanks to the limitation of evapotranspiration and the microclimate generated, the grazing time of animals may increase.
The case of temporary grasslands: an intermediate solution
As part of an alternation of pastures and crops, TSE has developed a solution of temporary meadow shade :
- The farm is protected against heat stress thanks to shading and can be sheltered during bad weather.
- The solar panels are equipped with intelligent control to meet the needs of crops and farmers. As with cultivation shades, they are positioned according to the light and temperature needs necessary at the key stages of plant growth.
- An irrigation system can also be integrated to optimize water consumption on the plot.
Whatever the solution adopted, the 2023 APER law is formal: energy production cannot take precedence over agricultural production, which remains the main activity.
Agrivoltaic shade houses: a project for the future
An agrivoltaic installation is an effective solution to protect your business from the hazards of climate change while diversifying your income. Placed at the heart of the energy transition, agrivoltaic shades are proving to be a valuable asset in meeting the challenges of tomorrow.
Do you have an agrivoltaics project? Contact TSE, a leading player in agrivoltaics in France.
