(Finance) – Agrivoltaics represents one of the most innovative and promising solutions for reconciling agricultural production with energy generation. This is a natural and, at the same time, strategic evolution of the simple photovoltaic installation on the ground as it creates a virtuous ecosystem capable of optimizing both agricultural yield and energy production. The integration between the production of renewable energy and agriculture, we read in the Energia Oltre press agency, is also showing significant economic, environmental and energy advantages.
This and much more was discussed at the conference promoted by Anie Confindustria “Agrivoltaic day: the impact of the FER Consolidated Law Decree and the Environment Decree”, which took place today in Rome.
AGRIVOLTAIC IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR DEVELOPMENT IN EUROPE
According to the Joint Research Center of the European Commission, it would be enough to allocate 1.06% of the used agricultural area (UAA) of the European Union to agrivoltaics to reach an installed photovoltaic capacity of almost 944 GW by 2030, almost double the target of 590 GW set. This potential offers an extraordinary opportunity for the decarbonisation of Europe, drastically reducing CO2 emissions without compromising agricultural production.
A GROWING SECTOR IN ITALY
Italy is one of the countries most ready to exploit the potential of agrivoltaics. In 2023, agrivoltaics was the technology that grew most rapidly, counting projects for almost 16 GW. In September 2024, the PNRR tender to finance agrivoltaic systems closed with data confirming a strong interest from operators: over 920 million euros requested, 643 projects presented for a total power of over 1.7 GW.
Our country has great potential in agrivoltaics thanks to the combination of natural resources, sustainability policies, advanced technologies and a strong and diversified agricultural sector. An Althesys analysis of development potential would see a target of around 22 GW of installed capacity by 2030, equal to 58% of the on-shore plants envisaged by the National Integrated Energy and Climate Plan (PNIEC). This would imply the construction of plants on approximately 40,000 hectares of agricultural land, an area that represents only 1% of the total agricultural area.
THE OBSTACLES TO THE SPREAD OF AGRIVOLTAICS
In a scenario of opportunities for the sector, however, numerous obstacles exist in our country to the spread of agrivoltaics, starting with complex regulations that govern the use of land for energy production. In some areas, local regulations may limit the installation of photovoltaic systems on agricultural land, especially if they are considered “changes of use”, which require long and expensive bureaucratic procedures. Compatibility with agricultural policies is another aspect that can limit development; in this sense today the Mase Guidelines constitute the reference for the sector, but it is then necessary to introduce a clear regulatory definition of what is meant by “agrivoltaic system”. In fact, there is no configuration that is better than another and the optimal configuration is identified based on the types of crops envisaged in the agronomic plan, in a necessary process of agronomic and photovoltaic co-planning.
Another topic that requires further study is the identification of an adequate parameter for quantifying agricultural yield in the presence of an agrivoltaic system. In this context, research and development activities become fundamental, oriented towards transversal studies that take into account energy aspects, crop yields and biodiversity.
The potential and critical issues highlighted so far are part of a scenario of extraordinary development of the renewables industry in Italy in more recent years. According to analyzes conducted by Anie Confindustria and the Polytechnic of Milan, it is estimated that the photovoltaic and wind power sector generated around 10 billion euros in 2023. The analysis by the Polytechnic of Milan underlines that investments for the development of the supply chain of renewable energy (RES) between 2024 and 2030 could vary between 45 and 90 billion euros, depending on the RES growth scenario, with a potential employment which could reach up to 100,000 workers, an expansion that would benefit, in particular, from the expansion path of the photovoltaic and wind segments (onshore and offshore).
ECONOMIC AND ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS
From the algebraic sum between the costs and benefits of investing in agrivoltaics, an analysis by Althesys highlights a positive balance. In particular, in the face of a loss of cultivable surface area – and related CAP contributions – estimated at approximately 0.08% of the national UAA, the contextual increase in agricultural yields – following the presence of the raised panels which would bring about water savings, shading and microclimate – would compensate for the lower use of land, limiting the loss of production to 44 million euros by 2030. To these should be added the income of over 320 million euros deriving from renting the land.
“The Italian technology industry represented by ANIE plays a crucial role in achieving the decarbonisation objectives” – stated Filippo Girardi, President of ANIE Confindustria. “The development of renewable energy is a fundamental step towards energy independence, an essential goal to guarantee our country security, economic stability and sovereignty in strategic decisions.”
“Agrivoltaics is not just a theme, but a peculiar challenge that profoundly involves our country, our businesses and our territories” – declared Andrea Cristini, President of ANIE Rinnovabili. We work so that renewable energy sources are fully integrated into the Italian energy system and the possibility of Made in Italy also materializes in the agrivoltaic sector”.