Agrivoltaics: Producing Sustainable, Renewable Energy and Improving Socio-Economic Conditions in Rural Communities

Abstract

Renewable energy has taken the modern world by storm, especially energy generated from solar photovoltaic (PV) panels, which accounts for a considerable amount of the annual renewable energy produced. The demand for solar panels has become ever-increasing, with the percentage of individuals having or wanting panels seeming to climb each year. That being said, the conversion of land into solar panel farms may be a seemingly easy solution to satisfy this demand, especially because of the growing interest in slowing the effects of climate change. However, this solution is controversial, as the land on which the solar panels would be placed is the same land belonging to the hard-working farmers in America. Doing this would destroy the socio-economic status of these rural communities in the United States (U.S.) due to agriculture being a large sector of the economy. This paper reviews case studies and implementation of agrivoltaics, the idea of dual-use land between solar panels and agriculture. Agrivoltaics has the ability to provide many benefits in areas where it is implemented: more food produced, reduced water demand, more energy produced, lower carbon emission, and numerous advantages to rural communities. Agrivoltaics is a practice that has been implemented and studied across the globe, especially in France and China. Additionally, smaller studies are also being conducted throughout the U.S. Research was collected through meta-analysis research, in which past studies and findings were utilized to support proposed solutions. Through this collection of research, the solution of agrivoltaics is described. Additionally, it is explained how this practice could bring additional revenue and jobs to rural communities. Through agrivoltaics, landowners will be able to generate energy via solar panels while also growing crops, grazing their livestock, or creating pollinator environments on the same land, making this land “dual-use”. It is concluded that the practice of agrivoltaics is practical to be implemented internationally, while helping to achieve multiple of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.