Agrivoltaics can extend growing seasons, increasing potential food production in drylands

Abstract:

Projected climatic change, growing populations, and land use change increasingly strain our food production systems. By creating a hybrid land use of co-located agriculture and solar photovoltaic (PV) infrastructure – agrivoltaics – we not only avoid energy sprawl, but also identify positive outcomes in food production. We examine mechanisms by which this “agrivoltaics” approach can help initiate earlier planting dates and prolong the time to final harvest across multiple plant types. We worked across three agrivoltaic installations in Southern Arizona: These research areas were outside of Biosphere 2, Manzo Elementary School, and Rincon / University High School. Working with elementary and high school students allowed us to capture the inherent creative thinking that youth bring to problem solving - in this case finding ways to produce more (food and energy) with less (space). Students, teachers, and research staff worked together to track germination dates and rates, plant performance, biomass production, and senescence in control and agrivoltaic installations

We find that shading by the PV panels provides multiple additive and synergistic benefits, including providing warmer conditions under the panels on the shoulders of the growing seasons, reduced plant drought stress in the summer, and extended flowering periods in the fall. The results presented here provide a foundation for future explorations of agrivoltaic systems to increase food production, access to nutrition, and market value for crops that are otherwise out of season.