Sun, panels, and fields: Spain is fertile ground for agrovoltaics.

Spain's climate and landscape provide the natural ingredients necessary for the development of agrovoltaics , a practice still in its early stages and lacking specific legislation. One of the most significant changes in the sector has been the regulatory change regarding the use of agricultural land for projects of this type. Until now, installing a photovoltaic plant on agricultural land automatically disqualified it from eligibility for CAP (Common Agricultural Policy) aid. This situation penalized farmers who favored dual land use models.

Francisco Pérez Abiétar, a member of the Board of Directors of the National Association of Photovoltaic Energy Producers (Anpier) and director of Grupo Tornasol, believes that "forced somewhat by the call for aid for innovative renewable energy by the IDAE, beneficiaries can now eliminate this penalty."

By 2026, a legal exception will be established that will allow agrovoltaic surfaces to be considered fully eligible for agricultural aid if they maintain agricultural activity as their primary use. "Despite this progress, it remains urgent to define a specific legal framework for agrovoltaics," he adds. "The key to the success of an agrovoltaic installation lies in subordinating electricity generation to the maintenance and improvement of agricultural productivity," says Pérez Abiétar. Vineyards are one of the crops undergoing the most research, due to their sensitivity to climate change . For the administrator of Grupo Tornasol, "projects such as Vidvolt 4.0 and WineSolar are demonstrating that photovoltaic shading can delay grape ripening, improve their quality, reduce irrigation needs, and protect them against extreme events." Other experimental crops that are showing good results include berries, spinach, vegetables, and subtropical crops.

Agrivoltaics not only contributes to energy and food sustainability, but can also be a strategic tool for rural development. "By enabling dual land use, it fosters the creation of local, skilled employment in areas at risk of depopulation , diversifies farmers' sources of income, and promotes the emergence of new local businesses and services related to the management, maintenance, and operation of facilities," he says.

"It's an effective tool for establishing a population, generating a complementary economy, and making agriculture viable in a context of unstable prices and growing climate vulnerability . The success of agrivoltaics should not be measured in installed megawatts, but in its ability to positively transform the lives of people in rural areas. It represents a future opportunity for farmers: it offers them economic stability, access to new technologies, environmental sustainability, and a leading role in the energy transition," he emphasizes.

The future is promising, as Spain has great potential, a vast agricultural area, abundant solar radiation, and a resilient agricultural fabric. However, according to the expert, "several urgent challenges must be overcome": "The first is a clear and agreed-upon regulatory definition of agrivoltaics. The second is ensuring compatibility with CAP aid, currently underway. And the third is ensuring grid access for the energy generated."

As for the structures used, they can be placed between or below the panels. Martin Behar, Director of Studies and Environment at the Spanish Photovoltaic Union (UNEF), explains that there are "elevated (above the crops) fixed ones, or mobile elevated ones with trackers." "Some are placed directly above and others to the side to influence shade and reduce radiation , influence crop ripening, and reduce heat stress on the plants," he points out.

They can be portico-shaped structures. They are elevated between 2 and 4 meters, depending on the crop. "The project then becomes more expensive because it requires more material, is deeper, and requires a stronger wind tunnel," says Behar. But how are the yields of an agrovoltaic project measured? Because it's not just about energy production but also about the crop. The Director of Studies and Environment at UNEF supports the proposal to analyze real productivity based on the LER (Land Equivalent Ratio). "It calculates the total productivity of the land, that is, agricultural productivity plus energy productivity. They cannot be isolated. It makes no sense without synergy between the crop itself and the photovoltaic panel," he points out.

Among the benefits of agrivoltaics are improved soil quality and fertility, and a reduction in water use . Behar explains that "where photovoltaic plants are located, environmental impact statements often come with conditions regarding the use of pesticides, and therefore it is more similar to organic farming than to traditional farming."

Another advantage of agrivoltaics is that it can protect crops from the harsh effects of climate change . Single-axis trackers can be raised to provide shelter. The effects of radiation can also be limited. The decarbonization of the agri-food sector and the production of clean energy are other advantages. Among the medium-term challenges, Behar highlights "social acceptance, a reduction in initial investment, and the use of new technologies."

WineSolar is a pilot project that Iberdrola has been implementing since 2023 in the González Byass vineyards in Guadamur (Toledo). It is a smart agrovoltaic plant that allows the structure's layout to be adapted to the needs of the crop, thus regulating the incidence of sunlight and temperature through the shading of the panels.

Alexander Arias, head of special projects at Iberdrola Renovables España, explains that "it's a 41 kW plant, made up of three trackers whose positioning is determined by a control algorithm that reads crop conditions, temperature, and humidity according to the most appropriate criteria for the moment set by the farmer." "The goal," he emphasizes, "is not to optimize solar production, but rather to favor crop conditions in terms of ripening or water requirements."

Iberdrola has another similar project in its portfolio, for which it has provisionally received a favorable resolution for a Perte grant. "It's slightly larger, with a project area of ​​just under one megawatt. It's located in Vitoria, on a cider apple orchard native to Basaldea. Along with the algorithm to optimize the position of the trackers, it includes battery storage , which represents an additional technological component," Arias adds. It will be built in 2026. The company also carries out similar initiatives in France and Italy.

Making the leap from a pilot project to a scalable reality isn't easy, because viability depends on funding, according to Arias: "An agrovoltaic plant is much more expensive than a conventional photovoltaic plant because it uses space less efficiently and results in a loss of production. We need to work toward monetizing the crop."

Along with this pure agrovoltaic technology, a small crop of wildflowers or mushrooms can be grown inside a photovoltaic plant. This is what Iberdrola is doing with the Convive program , which "aims to combine photovoltaic production with mechanisms to support local flora and fauna, such as honey production or sheep grazing."

Other companies, such as Powen, are considering entering the agrivoltaic world. "We're waiting for the regulations to be clarified," says Pedro Álvarez, head of the agricultural department. Álvarez favors "areas ideal for agrivoltaics, with crops compatible with the reduction in sunlight that the panels can produce."