Agrivoltaics: combining agriculture and solar power
Dual use of agricultural land — farming and solar power generation on the same plot, subject to agronomic, planning and regulatory suitability.
Agrivoltaics makes it possible to combine solar power generation with agricultural activity on the same plot of land.
This is not an automatic fit: every plot is assessed individually — the crop, the cultivation method, planning constraints and the possibility of a grid connection.
What agrivoltaics is
Agrivoltaics combines solar power generation with agricultural activity on the same plot. The panels are installed at a height and spacing that allow the land to keep being worked and crops to grow beneath or between them.
The key difference from an ordinary ground-mounted solar installation is that the land keeps serving agriculture. That is also where the different requirements come from — engineering, agronomic and planning related.
Types of land and possible applications
Applications vary a great deal between crop types and land types. These are some of the directions examined in practice:
- Orchards and perennial crops with suitable spacing
- Field crops with elevated mounting
- Grazing land combined with structures and shelters
- Greenhouses and agricultural buildings
- Agricultural plots that are not fully used today
Dual use of agricultural land
The main advantage is additional income from the same land without giving up the farming activity. In practice, the panels change the light, temperature and humidity conditions beneath them.
That effect can be positive for some crops and negative for others. An accurate agronomic assessment is therefore required before proceeding, rather than relying on general assumptions.
Engineering and agricultural considerations
The design has to account for both the engineering side and the daily agricultural work on the land:
- Row spacing and mounting height relative to machinery and crop
- Effect on the quantity and quality of light reaching the crop
- Free access for cultivation, harvesting and maintenance work
- Drainage, irrigation and existing infrastructure on the land
- Load-bearing capacity of the soil and foundation design accordingly
Regulatory and planning aspects in Israel
Implementing agrivoltaics in Israel is subject to planning and regulatory frameworks, including licensing aspects, the status and designation of the land, and the planning policy that applies to it.
Project conditions are examined with the competent authorities. A preliminary assessment we carry out is not an approval, and progress depends on the required processes and permits.
Initial suitability assessment
The assessment covers the location of the plot, the designation of the land, the scale and nature of the farming activity, the possibilities for a grid connection and the planning constraints that apply.
It produces an initial view of feasibility. That view is not binding and is not an approval, and it may conclude that the plot is not suitable.
Frequently asked questions
Related solutions
Combining with storage can change the commercial picture
Energy storage for businesses
Managing electricity consumption and demand, including combination with solar generation on farmland.
Solar with storage
Planning a solar system and a storage system as one whole.
Energy for agricultural operations
The farm as an electricity consumer — consumption points, farm structures and storage, separate from the land-use assessment.
An agrivoltaic suitability check for your plot
Send us the details of the plot, its designation and cultivation method, and we will assess the initial feasibility together — engineering, agricultural and planning.