Integrating the Simulations of Shading Factors and Effect Analysis to Assess the Suitability of Agrivoltaics under a Crop Rotation Scenario in Changhua, Taiwan

Agrivoltaic systems have been implemented internationally and have demonstrated significant potential to balance agricultural production and renewable energy development under appropriate regulatory and design. In Taiwan, however, agrivoltaic applications are currently limited to aquaculture–photovoltaic (PV) systems, and ground-mounted agrivoltaics have not yet been permitted, partly due to potential unknown consequences of agrivoltaic systems. In this study, we aimed to assess the influence of agrivoltaics on crop yields, considering the variability in crops’ light requirements and the seasonal crop rotations in Changhua County, Taiwan. Shading factors (SFs), representing the ratio of shaded area to total area, were monthly simulated for an agrivoltaic system designed for planting fruit vegetables, leafy vegetables, and C3 cereals outside the vertical projection area of PV modules to reduce the impact of shading. On the other hand, logistic and hormesis response models were employed to construct the relationships between crop yield and SF, enabling predictions of crop yield variation under a specific PV array configuration. Results of effect analysis indicated that the thresholds of SFs enabling 80% of attainable yields were 61.28% for fruit vegetables, 17.59% for leafy vegetables, and 32.60% for C3 cereals. When the PV array spacing was set to 5 m, SFs ranged from 0.39% to 11.50% over one year, with an average value of 4.27%. Results indicated that, under the crop rotation scenario involving fruit vegetables, leafy vegetables, and C3 cereals, crop yields could still reach 80% of attainable yields. These findings could provide practical insights for the design and planning of agrivoltaic systems in Taiwan and offer a quantitative framework for future policy development and implementation.