Funded by the Research Council of Norway and seven industry partners. It is led by SINTEF Industry, and NMBU, NTNU and SINTEF Digital
About the project
The project investigates how agricultural land can be used simultaneously for food production and solar energy generation, an approach commonly known as agrivoltaics. The project aims to develop knowledge about how solar photovoltaic (PV) installations can be integrated into Norwegian agricultural systems while maintaining productive and sustainable crop production.
A central focus of the project is understanding how solar panels modify the crop-growing environment. The panels influence incoming solar radiation, temperature, soil moisture, wind conditions, and the spatial distribution of these factors within the field. These changes may affect crop development, resource-use efficiency, yield, and grain quality. At the same time, partial shading could potentially provide benefits during periods of heat or water stress by reducing crop temperature and water loss.
Field experiments are being conducted to quantify these effects under Norwegian conditions. Crop performance is evaluated at different positions relative to the solar panels and compared with crops grown outside the agrivoltaic system. Measurements include crop yield, biomass, thousand-grain weight, plant height, phenological development, chlorophyll status, and leaf area development. Sensor-based measurements and high-throughput plant phenotyping are also used to characterize spatial and temporal variation in crop responses.
An important part of the research is to integrate agronomy, plant phenotyping, environmental sensing, and data analysis to understand the mechanisms behind crop responses to the altered microclimate created by solar panels. The project will also investigate how agronomic management and the design of agrivoltaic systems can be optimized to balance agricultural productivity and renewable energy production.
Ultimately, the project aims to provide scientific knowledge that can support farmers, policymakers, and the solar-energy sector in evaluating agrivoltaics as a practical option for Norwegian agriculture and contribute to more efficient and sustainable use of agricultural land.
More about the project at SINTEF
Participants
NMBU participants
External participants
NTNU, og SINTEF