Multifunctional Agrivoltaics: Spatio-Temporal Modelling of Environmental and Agroecological Dynamics

The rapid expansion of solar infrastructure necessitates innovative solutions to mitigate land-use conflicts between renewable energy production and traditional agriculture. The SoLAgri project addresses this challenge by investigating the sustainable design and management of agrivoltaics (APV) as multifunctional landscapes. As extreme weather events increase in frequency, the role of APV extends beyond energy production, serving as a critical tool for agricultural adaptation. Focusing on the practical integration of PV into arable farming, grazing, and fruit production, this research investigates the environmental impact of APV system design. We analyse how specific panel layouts reconfigure precipitation and water distribution, affecting soil moisture dynamics and availability. By prioritizing practicable field management, the project demonstrates how these systems can buffer microclimatic extremes and stabilize agricultural output.

The project employs an advanced monitoring framework combining in-situ sensor networks for real-time soil and climate data with UAV-based multispectral and RGB imaging plus photogrammetry for 3D models. This approach enables high-resolution spatio-temporal modelling of vegetation health, growth patterns, plant species distribution, and key environmental factors such as shadow dynamics and light attenuation. These data support the development of predictive yield models that account for spatial variability in light and water distribution, as well as energy-yield complementarity across various technologies.

The environmental impacts of APV are compared against single-functional landscapes using Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), with the goal of achieving a low ecological footprint. By integrating biodiversity-enhancing habitats directly into system design, SoLAgri demonstrates how optimized APV configurations can harmonize food security, water protection, and nature conservation within the energy transition.

 

Acknowledgments: This contribution was supported and financed within the framework of the departmental research program via dafne.at with funds from the Austrian Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Regions and Water Management (BML). The BML supports applied, problem-oriented and practice-oriented research in the department's area of competence (Project ID 101971).