Agrivoltaics: 3 ingredients for an effective development
Focus on Agriculture, Energy, and Landscape to develop winning agrivoltaics systems
For more than a decade, EF Solare Italia has been active in the development of agrivoltaic projects. The company is at the forefront of creating innovative solutions to increase solar energy production while supporting agricultural production, developing integrated models that reflect the landscape and agronomic characteristics of the territory. An example of this approach is the new project that EF Solare Italia has developed in collaboration with ENEA in Scalea, Calabria: an agrivoltaic hub consisting of plants with different technological configurations to collect data for developing increasingly efficient solutions tailored to the characteristics of the area.
A winning synergy
Co-design is essential to reconcile energy production with agriculture. This methodology promotes synergies considering the three pillars of sustainable agrivoltaics: agriculture, energy, and landscape. Actively involving local stakeholders, from farmers to communities, is crucial for promoting projects that respect and enhance the landscape.
With rapidly growing electricity demand fueled by the boom in data centers and artificial intelligence, the agrivoltaic model—combined with energy storage systems—offers a remarkable opportunity to meet this demand while also helping to preserve the Italian agricultural ecosystem.
EF Solare Italia has recognized the importance of integrating the needs of electricity operators, farmers, and landscape stakeholders to ensure the long-term success of agrivoltaic systems.
Luigi Maria Cagnoni, Agri-energy Expert at EF Solare Italia, states: “While electricity operators focus on the production and sale of energy, agricultural entrepreneurs must maintain the flexibility necessary to respond to variables such as market fluctuations, climate change, and the mechanisms of support and direction provided by the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), all of which influence and regulate business choices over time. Developing agrivoltaic projects that consider these dynamics is crucial to meet the demands of the territory and ensure a contribution to the primary sector in the years to come.”
Innovative projects
Looking ahead to a future where electricity will be the cornerstone of the energy system, agrivoltaics presents a solution capable of reducing dependence on fossil fuels and ensuring the supply of clean energy. EF Solare Italia aims to consolidate its role as a European leader by promoting innovative agrivoltaic models that meet both decarbonization needs and the requirements of agricultural communities.
“Agrivoltaics is a unique opportunity to balance the growing need for clean energy with agricultural and landscape heritage protection. Collaboration with local communities and co-design are decisive factors in implementing agrivoltaics that respond to the needs of the local territory and stakeholders. Inclusion and dialogue, at both local and national levels, represent the way forward to make agrivoltaics a key solution in the energy transition process,” explained Angelo Pignatelli, Head of Engineering at EF Solare Italia.