Key Advantages of Agrivoltaic Systems in Germany – A Comparison of the Electricity Yield of Different Systems

Abstract

In addition to food production, energy can also be produced on agricultural land. This can lead to land use conflicts and often results in political discussions. As the energy transition progresses, the area required for renewable energies is increasing, leading to more land use conflicts. Agrivoltaics (APV) allows for continued farming alongside solar power production, providing a solution to this conflict. In this analysis, the land energy yields of different APV concepts were compared with those of other renewable energies. The results show that wind and PV can produce the most energy on land, regardless of whether the sectors are electricity, heat or transport. When considering different APV concepts on cropland, it is important to consider which area is being evaluated. A distinction can be made between the PV-system area (the visually influenced area in the landscape) and the loss of farmland. Depending on the perspective, the concepts have different advantages. The APV vertical concept enables 3 times more electricity production per loss of farmland compared to a conventional ground-mounted PV system. However, in relation to the PV-system area, the electricity yield is only 1/3 of this. The APV horizontal concept has the highest electricity yields per area of loss of farmland. The APV 3D tracing system has the highest electricity yield of all APV concepts per PV-system area. Initial economic analyses show that higher energy yields per loss of farmland are accompanied by higher costs for APV systems. These results can be used for political advice.