6 March 2026
Agrivoltaics combines agriculture and energy production on the same land. The technology is seen as a promising approach to using land more efficiently while expanding renewable energy production. At the same time, there is ongoing debate about how economically viable agrivoltaics is compared with conventional ground-mounted photovoltaic (PV) systems. Forschungszentrum Jülich is conducting intensive research into the dual use of agricultural land for energy and food production and is a member of the German Association for Sustainable Agrivoltaics (VnAP).
We spoke to Dr. Matthias Meier-Grüll from the Institute of Bio- and Geosciences - Plant Sciences (IBG-2) and doctoral researcher Chantal Kierdorf from the Institute of Climate and Energy Systems - Jülich Systems Analysis (ICE-2), both at Forschungszentrum Jülich, about the current state of research and the prospects for agrivoltaics.
What is agrivoltaics - and why is it more than just electricity from the field?
Matthias Meier-Grüll:
Agrivoltaics combines solar energy and agriculture on the same area of land. The solar modules are positioned in such a way that farming can continue underneath or between them - for example, arable farming or fruit and vegetable cultivation.
The land is therefore not lost, but used for two purposes. In times of climate change, energy crises, and increasing land scarcity, this is a crucial advantage.
Depending on the design, the systems can even provide additional benefits: they offer shade, protect against hail or heavy rain, collect valuable rainwater, help retain soil moisture, and promote biodiversity. At the same time, clean electricity is generated directly in the local region.
Many people are more accepting of agrivoltaics than of conventional ground-mounted PV systems, where agricultural use is completely lost.
A recent study by the Thünen Institute concludes that agrivoltaics is significantly more expensive than conventional ground-mounted PV systems. What does the study reveal - and what does it not?
Chantal Kierdorf:
The study compares the costs of various agrivoltaics systems with those of conventional ground-mounted PV systems. To do this, it examines the levelized cost of energy (LCOE), a technical term for the average cost per kilowatt hour of electricity generated over the entire lifetime of a system.
The authors conclude that agrivoltaics systems are currently between 4 % and 148 % more expensive than conventional ground-mounted PV systems - a range that shows how strongly costs can vary depending on the system, location, and design. They also find that the costs of maintaining the agricultural land beneath the agrivoltaic system amount to € 8,000-75,000 per hectare - again a wide range - which cannot be covered by the agricultural yield.
However, it is important to note that the study does not examine whether specific agrivoltaics projects are economically viable or profitable for agricultural businesses. It compares agrivoltaics with ground-mounted PV systems on the basis of certain assumptions and cost estimates from 2023. Today, three years later, cost reductions due to falling prices are likely to have changed this picture. In addition, agrivoltaics remains a much younger technology than conventional ground-mounted PV systems, which have been optimized over many years. This should also be taken into account when interpreting the results.
Agrivoltaics is often discussed primarily in terms of electricity costs. What other factors are relevant?
Chantal Kierdorf:
Electricity generation costs are used to compare the costs of different energy sources. While this is useful, it falls short in the case of agrivoltaics because it does account for important additional benefits.
A key point is that the agricultural land is preserved and can continue to contribute to the regional food supply. This strengthens food security and regional value creation - beyond direct harvest yields.
There are also operational and systemic synergies. Depending on the design, an agrivoltaic system can generate electricity more evenly throughout the day - not just at midday, but also more in the morning and afternoon. This eases pressure on the electricity grid and makes feed-in more predictable.
At the same time, partial shading can reduce water consumption and relieve plants during heatwaves. On farms, the electricity generated can also be used directly on-site or in combination with storage systems. This can have a significant impact on the economic viability of a project.
Regulatory conditions also play a role. Unlike conventional ground-mounted PV systems, agrivoltaics preserves the status of the land as agricultural land. This can enable tax advantages or certain compensation payments.
The potential additional benefits naturally vary with location and project, yet they affect the overall economic assessment - an aspect not reflected in simple electricity-cost comparisons.
The price per kilowatt hour remains an important benchmark, of course. However, when evaluating agrivoltaics, it is important to consider that this can vary significantly depending on the system, location, and market conditions. For a comprehensive assessment, the additional impacts on agriculture, the energy system, and regional development should therefore be taken into account.
What does agrivoltaics need now to become better and cheaper more quickly?
Matthias Meier-Grüll:
For agrivoltaics to become cheaper more quickly, one thing is needed above all else: more practical experience. We are familiar with this effect from conventional photovoltaics. The more systems are built, the more costs fall - as processes are standardized, technology is improved, and experience is gained. This market ramp-up is still at an early stage for agrivoltaics.
Targeted funding is therefore necessary during a transitional phase. According to calculations by the German Association for Sustainable Agrivoltaics, agrivoltaics would only require a relatively small share of the funds allocated for the promotion of renewable electricity generation under Germany's Renewable Energy Sources Act (EEG). The EEG regulates, among other things, how electricity from renewable sources is remunerated in Germany. Compared to other areas of funding, the demand for agrivoltaics would therefore be manageable.
At the same time, we as researchers have a responsibility: we must provide scientific support for commercial projects in order to better understand which crops perform particularly well with which photovoltaic systems. Early results already show that certain combinations can enhance both electricity and agricultural yields. The modules alter the microclimate beneath them - they provide shade, reduce water evaporation, and can relieve plants during heatwaves.
To reliably evaluate such effects, more practical projects are needed in different regions and with a variety of crops. At the same time, we need to gain a better understanding of the underlying biological processes, such as photosynthesis, i.e. the conversion of light into plant energy. Only then can we make generalized statements rather than describing isolated cases.
With this knowledge and cleverly designed funding, agrivoltaics can become a stable form of dual land use in the long term - for energy production and agriculture alike.
