New solar-agriculture integration projects can unlock up to €235,000 in additional annual profit for farmers, while supporting sustainable food, energy and land-use solutions worldwide.
Why Agri-PV is gaining ground
For years, the use of solar panels on agricultural land has sparked debate, facing resistance and even outright bans in some countries. Farmers often viewed solar installations as a threat to agriculture, replacing crops with energy production. But today, a new generation of Agri-PV, agrivoltaics, systems is changing that perception.
Instead of competing with farming, these systems work with it, enabling solar panels to co-exist with crops and livestock through smart, integrated designs. In many cases, solar arrays now boost agricultural productivity by providing movable shade, reducing water usage, regenerating soil, and protecting against extreme heat and drought.
Agri-PV offers a practical step forward by integrating solar energy generation directly within farmland. It provides localised, clean electricity for on-site needs, such as irrigation, cooling or electrified machinery without competing for land. By co-locating food and energy production, Agri-PV supports rural energy independence and reduces reliance on fossil-based inputs, making it a key enabler for the sector’s energy transition.
EU Commission recognises Agri-PV as a strategic asset for agriculture and energy security
In its 'Vision for Agriculture and Food', the European Commission’ officially recognises solar PV as a strategic tool for the future of farming.
Solar is no longer a bonus; it’s becoming essential. With the potential to generate up to €235,000 in additional profit per year for large farms (*), Agri-PV is redefining how we grow food and energy on the same land. But to scale effectively, it requires more than just hardware. It takes expert strategy, smart system design and strong collaboration.
At 3E, we’ve been preparing for this moment for years, developing future-ready Agri-PV strategies through our R&D team and international partnerships.
Two flagship projects advancing Agri-solar innovation
SYMBIOSYST (Europe)
As part of a multi-stakeholder European consortium, 3E is co-developing scalable Agri-PV systems adapted to specific crops, climates and landscapes. By leveraging digital twin technology and precision farming expertise, we aim to create the orchard of the future and nearly zero-energy green houses, combining PV generation with high agricultural output, without compromising land use or aesthetics.
G-STIC Agri-PV (Egypt)
In collaboration with the Egyptian government and local partners, 3E is deploying Agri-PV demonstration projects in Moghra and Habiba (Sinai). These initiatives combat desertification while addressing the water-food-energy challenge through systemic modelling and smart shading strategies to support agriculture in extreme climates. A key objective is to ensure the local community plays a leading role in adopting and shaping this innovation, empowering farmers and residents to take ownership of the solutions and drivelong-term impact from the ground up.
A vision for scalable, integrated agri-PV solutions
Gofran Chowdhury, Head of Innovation at 3E, explains:
“We’re not just integrating solar into agriculture, we’re rethinking the entire ecosystem, by combining standardised PV technology with crop-specific needs and local landscape design, we’re ensuring Agri-PV becomes a scalable solution, not just a niche application.”
What’s next: scaling agrivoltaics through collaboration
As governments’ policies begin to reflect agrivoltaics’ importance, 3E calls on key stakeholders to break down the barriers and scale Agri-PV from pilot to execution:
- AgriTech startups –> Co-develop tech that serves both yields and resilience.
- Investors –> Support the Agri-PV as a profitable, climate-smart asset class.
- Policymakers –> Create regulatory frameworks that enable dual land use and reduce bureaucratic obstacles.
- Researchers –> Develop common standards and validate integrated system designs.
Our projects show that with the right technology and strategy, solar and agriculture don’t compete, they thrive together. But to get there, we need aligned strategy, innovation and collaboration.
Looking to develop your own Agri-PV project?
At 3E, we combine technical expertise with strategic insight to help bring Agri-PV systems from concept to reality. From feasibility to system design and operational optimisation, we support partners across the full project lifecycle.
Get in touch to explore how we can help with the development or improvement of your Agri-PV project.
Pictures: An Agri-PV park, in Bolzano, Italy, developed in the framework of the Symbiosyst project.
