The concept of agrivoltaics (combining agriculture and solar photovoltaics technologies on the same land in novel configurations) has emerged as an approach to mitigate conflicts between solar and agricultural activities by providing mutual benefits and added values to each sector. The U.S. Department of Energy has supported agrivoltaics research since 2015 through its Innovative Solar Practices Integrated with Rural Economies and Ecosystems (InSPIRE) research project (National Renewable Energy Laboratory 2022). The InSPIRE project is the most comprehensive coordinated research effort on agrivoltaics in the United States and has examined opportunities and tradeoffs at over 25 sites across the country that span crop production, pollinator habitat, ecosystem services, animal husbandry, and d. Integrating research sites with active commercial agricultural operations can introduce unique challenges for conducting research. This synthesis aims to highlight the technical and non-technical insights from InSPIRE agrivoltaic field research sites from 2015-2021 to support i) appropriate deployment of agrivoltaic projects; ii) more successful research on agrivoltaics; and iii) more effective partnerships on agrivoltaic projects. The synthesized lessons discussed here are focused less on specific case study outcomes (i.e., the percent change in crop yield in an agrivoltaics configuration), and instead more on the elements that enable and facilitate agrivoltaics projects to be installed and operated along with research to be conducted at those sites. We find that there are some insights that are applicable across all types of agrivoltaic projects, while ecosystem service projects and crop production agrivoltaic projects can often have other unique considerations.

Utility-scale solar photovoltaics (PV) is the largest and fastest-growing sector of the solar energy market, and plays an important role in ensuring that state and local jurisdictions can meet renewable energy targets. Potential adverse environmental impacts of utility-scale solar PV are well-documented, and the effects of diverse mitigation and dual land use strategies under the banner of ’low-impact solar’ are justly receiving more attention; this article seeks to contribute to improving understanding of this topic. Capital costs for different PV configurations are well-documented; however, operation and maintenance (O&M) costs for vegetation management at low-impact utility-scale solar PV sites are not as well-understood, particularly as they compare to costs for sites that use more conventional ground cover practices, such as turfgrass or gravel. After a literature review of different vegetation strategies and O&M cost considerations, we collected data from utility-scale solar PV O&M stakeholders, including site owners/operators, O&M service providers, vegetation maintenance companies, and solar graziers, on costs and activities associated with vegetation management at low-impact, agrivoltaic, and conventional PV sites. In this paper, we perform data analysis to detail the per-activity and total O&M costs for vegetation management at PV sites with different ground covers and management practices, providing the most comprehensive and detailed assessment of PV vegetation O&M costs to date. For the 54 sites included in our analysis, we found that while the per-acre and per-kilowatt_dc (kW_dc) costs for individual activities, such as mowing, trimming, and herbicide application at native or pollinator friendly ground covers, were lower than at turfgrass sites, the total combined vegetation O&M costs were slightly higher; this is presumably because more individual activities are required for the first 3–5 years of vegetation establishment. Qualitative results include recommendations from data providers for site and system design, and ongoing vegetation management operations.

Crop Area Integrated Photovoltaics (CAIPV) systems yield electricity and crops on the same area of land. Most CAIPV research and commercial activity over the last decade has taken place in temperate countries of the Global North; activity in Africa has been comparatively very limited. Depending on several factors, the shade from the PV arrays may cause crop yields to decrease, increase, or remain close to control. It is expected that yields of many crops would increase on sunny arid sites in Africa. This paper seeks to quantify and compare CAIPV's two yield components (electricity and food) under different scenarios in the African context, with a close look at potential CAIPV integration into PV mini-grids. Metrics of PV energy generation and demand are contrasted with crop yield and demand, and it is shown that the PV surface area required to meet electricity needs of most Africans is dwarfed by the corresponding land area needed for crops to meet nutritional needs. As PV area corresponds to crop area in CAIPV, it becomes clear that per capita food yields of projects will only make a miniscule contribution to local nutrition if distributed equally amongst all users of a mini-grid. Corollary agricultural benefits of mini-grids such as food refrigeration and electrified crop processing are noted to be attributed solely to the PV electricity, and have no relation to the shade provided by the PV arrays. Nevertheless, it is shown that significant quantities of food and jobs may be created if CAIPV systems can increase their surface area by securing large energy offtakers, whether in the form of off-grid industrial clients, via on-grid feed-in tariff schemes, or even future possibilities of large-scale PV-to-fuel intercontinental export operations. In all cases, policy support is urged in building the educational, legal, and financial frameworks to facilitate such scaling.

El desplegament urgent a gran escala (potser un augment de 50 vegades la quantitat instal·lada actual per al 2050) d’energia solar fotovoltaica (FV) en innombrables paisatges de la Terra s’enfronta a considerables desafiaments ecològics, econòmics i socials/culturals/estètics. Per començar, una comparació de l'energia FV amb altres “operacions antropocèniques de transformació de fotons” (principalment agricultura i silvicultura) va acompanyada d’observacions sobre les raons del recent i ràpid ascens de la indústria solar i l’esperat creixement exponencial continu. Després, l’informe demostra els desafiaments i les millors opcions d’integració per a instal·lacions FV d’alta densitat en àrees urbanes, i la implementació d’ecovoltaica i agrivoltaica de baixa densitat a pastures i terres de cultiu. Es presta especial atenció a l’espai entre i sota els panells FV. S’ofereixen crítiques i propostes de nomenclatura necessàries per descriure una varietat d'instal·lacions FV no estàndards. Es reconeix la línia borrosa entre agricultura i naturalesa a les pastures, a mesura que s'ofereixen propostes per a una integració FV de menor impacte. Es detallen els desafiaments de la integració de l’energia FV rural en paisatges tan diversos com els boscos, les llençols i els deserts, tenint en compte el desplegament competitiu existent o potencial d’arbres i plantacions de biocombustibles. S’exploren reconsideracions culturals i estètiques als paisatges rurals, i els rols dels agricultors. Finalment, s’argumenta que per assolir nivells significatius d’integració FV sinèrgica serà essencial el suport històric dels sectors públic i educatiu. The urgent massive-scale deployment (perhaps a 50-fold increase in the current installed amount by 2050) of solar photovoltaic (PV) energy onto the myriad of landscapes on Earth is confronted by considerable ecological, economic, and social/ cultural/ aesthetic challenges. To begin, a comparison of PV with other “anthropocene photon transformation operations” (primarily agriculture and forestry) is accompanied by observations on the reasons for the solar industry’s recent rapid rise and expected continued exponential growth. The report then demonstrates challenges and best-case integration options for high-density PV installations in urban areas, and lower-density ecovoltaics and agrivoltaics on rangeland and farmland. Close attention is given to the spacing between and under PV arrays. Critiques on, and proposals for accurate nomenclature to describe a variety of non-standard solar PV installations are offered. The blurry line between agriculture and nature on rangelands is recognized, as proposals for lowest-impact PV integration are offered. The challenges of rural PV integration on landscapes as diverse as forests, savannas, and deserts are detailed, with consideration of competing existing or potential deployment of trees and biofuel plantations. Paradigm-shifting reconsiderations of culture and aesthetics on rural landscapes, and the evolving roles of farmers, are explored. Finally, it is argued that to achieve meaningful levels of synergistic PV integration, historical support from public and educational sectors will be essential. El urgente despliegue a gran escala (quizás un aumento de 50 veces la cantidad instalada actual para 2050) de energía solar fotovoltaica (FV) en innumerables paisajes de la Tierra se enfrenta a considerables desafíos ecológicos, económicos y sociales/culturales/estéticos. Para empezar, una comparación de la energía FV con otras “operaciones antropocénicas de transformación de fotones” (principalmente agricultura y silvicultura) va acompañada de observaciones sobre las razones del reciente y rápido ascenso de la industria solar y el esperado crecimiento exponencial continuo. Luego, el informe demuestra los desafíos y las mejores opciones de integración para instalaciones FV de alta densidad en áreas urbanas, y la implementación de ecovoltaica y agrivoltaica de baja densidad en pastizales y tierras de cultivo. Se presta especial atención al espacio entre y debajo de los paneles FV. Se ofrecen críticas y propuestas de nomenclatura precisa para describir una variedad de instalaciones FV no estándares. Se reconoce la línea borrosa entre agricultura y naturaleza en los pastizales, a medida que se ofrecen propuestas para una integración FV de menor impacto. Se detallan los desafíos de la integración de la energía FV rural en paisajes tan diversos como bosques, sabanas y desiertos, teniendo en cuenta el despliegue competitivo existente o potencial de árboles y plantaciones de biocombustibles. Se exploran reconsideraciones culturales y estéticas en los paisajes rurales, y los roles de los agricultores. Finalmente, se argumenta que para lograr niveles significativos de integración FV sinérgica, será esencial el apoyo histórico de los sectores público y educativo.