What crops grow well under agrivoltaic solar panels?

Research consistently shows that shade-tolerant crops perform well or better under agrivoltaic conditions compared to open-field cultivation, particularly in hot climates. High-performing crops include: leafy greens (lettuce, spinach, arugula), herbs (basil, cilantro, mint), some small fruits (strawberries, some raspberry varieties), root vegetables (carrots, beets), and flowers (lavender, chamomile). Crops that require high-PAR (photosynthetically active radiation) — corn, soybeans, sunflowers, most grain crops — are more challenging under standard agrivoltaic systems and typically require elevated panel heights (12+ feet) and wider row spacing to maintain acceptable yields. Shade-tolerance data from the USDA and University of Massachusetts Amherst agrivoltaics research program provides crop-specific PAR thresholds for agrivoltaic system design.

How is bifacial energy gain calculated in PVsyst?

PVsyst calculates bifacial energy gain using a view-factor model that computes the irradiance distribution on the rear surface of each module row, accounting for: ground albedo (user-specified or measured), row spacing and height, module bifaciality factor, and shading from adjacent rows on the rear surface. The rear irradiance distribution is non-uniform — module edges exposed to open sky receive more reflected light than the center of long rows. PVsyst integrates these distributions hourly and multiplies by the BF to compute rear-side energy production. Users should input measured site albedo (from a pyranometer or albedometer) rather than using default values, as albedo variations of ±0.05 translate to 0.5–1.5% differences in calculated bifacial gain.

What is the Land Equivalent Ratio (LER) and what values are typically achieved in agrivoltaic projects?

The Land Equivalent Ratio (LER) compares the land area required for separate, dedicated solar and farming operations to produce the same combined output as an agrivoltaic co-location system. LER = (agrivoltaic solar yield / standalone solar yield) + (agrivoltaic crop yield / standalone crop yield). An LER of 1.4 means 40% less land is needed for the combined agrivoltaic system than for dedicated separate solar and farming. Published agrivoltaic research reports LER values of 1.3–1.9 depending on crop type, climate, and system design. European Fraunhofer ISE studies in Germany report LER around 1.56 for vegetable crops; Arizona State University studies for shade-tolerant crops in hot climates report LER > 1.5 driven largely by water savings.

How much does albedo affect bifacial solar production?

Albedo has a direct and significant impact on bifacial rear-side energy production. In a typical ground-mount fixed-tilt bifacial system at 20° tilt with GCR 0.40 and BF 0.70: increasing ground albedo from 0.10 (dark soil/asphalt) to 0.25 (dry grass) increases bifacial gain from approximately 4% to 8–9%. Increasing albedo further to 0.40 (white gravel) can yield 12–15% bifacial gain. Single-axis tracker systems at higher mounting heights amplify albedo sensitivity — the same albedo improvement may yield 2–3 additional percentage points of gain on a tracker vs. fixed-tilt. White reflective geotextile ground cover products (sometimes called "bifacial boosters") have been commercially deployed to increase albedo, though cost-benefit analysis varies by module BF, system size, and electricity price.

Engineering·9 min read·October 1, 2025

🌾 Agrivoltaics and Bifacial Solar Panels: Dual-Use Land, Albedo Effects, and Energy Yield

An engineering and agronomic guide to agrivoltaics — co-locating solar panels with agricultural land use — and bifacial solar module technology, including albedo optimization, bifacial gain modeling, bifaciality factors, and global deployment examples.

📖Renewable Energy Design Reference (Full Access)

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What Is Agrivoltaics?

Agrivoltaics (also spelled "agri-voltaics" or referred to as "agri-PV") describes the co-location of solar photovoltaic panels and agricultural activities on the same land parcel. The concept, originally proposed by Adolf Goetzberger and Adolf Zastrow in 1981 and experimentally demonstrated at the Fraunhofer Institute in 1982, has gained significant commercial momentum since 2015 as solar developers seek to reduce land conflicts, address community opposition, and create additional revenue streams from solar project sites.

Topics covered

agrivoltaicsbifacial solarbifacial gainalbedodual-use solarsolar agriculturebifaciality factorground cover ratiorear irradiancesolar grazingpollinator habitat solarbifacial PV modelingbifacial moduleagrivoltaic system design