FAST Agrivoltaics
FAST Agrivoltaics
[edit | edit source]| Crop | Outdoor | Greenhouse | Agrotunnel* | POSCAS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amaranth | https://doi.org/10.1002/sd.70337
(yield increase up to 5.4%) - simulated outdoor condition in an indoor environment |
- | Max achieved yield in MAX layoutː 2000-3000 kg/year - revenue for organicsː ?-? USD/year
RECOMMENDATIONSː Advanced biologic experiments should be conducted. |
- |
| Basil (Green) | - | - | https://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.5775183
Max achieved yield in MAX layoutː 2600-3600 kg/year - revenue for organicsː 286,000-396,000 USD/year |
- |
| Beetroot | - | - | - | studied paper unde review |
| Collards Green | - | - | Max achieved yield in MAX layoutː 5700-6000 kg/year - revenue for organicsː 56,000-59,000 USD/year
RECOMMENDATIONSː Advanced biologic experiments should be conducted. |
|
| Garlic (Organic Cloves Planted) | - | - | Max achieved yield in big 3D-printed cups in MAX layoutː fresh weightː 1100 kg/year, dry weightː 950 kg/year - revenue for organicsː 19,000 USD/year
RECOMMENDATIONSː Advanced biologic experiments should be conducted. |
- |
| Green Beans | - | - | Max achieved yield in MAX layoutː 3500-4000 kg/year - revenue for organicsː 24,500-28,000 USD/year.
RECOMMENDATIONSː Advanced lighting system is required |
- |
| Green Onions | - | - | Max achieved yield in MAX layoutː Baby bulbsː 750-800 kg/year, Greensː 350-750 kg/year - revenue for organicsː ?-? USD/year
RECOMMENDATIONSː Other varieties should be chosen to test. |
- |
| Hot Peppers | - | (yield increase up to 91%) | Max achieved yield in MAX layoutː Baby bulbsː 200-500 kg/year - revenue for organicsː 3000-7500 USD/year
RECOMMENDATIONSː Advanced biologic experiments should be conducted. |
- |
| Kale (Green) | - | - | Max achieved yield in MAX layoutː 5200-5500 kg/year - revenue for organicsː 48,000-51,000 USD/year
RECOMMENDATIONSː Advanced biologic experiments should be conducted. |
- |
| Lettuce | https://doi.org/10.1016/j.solener.2025.114215
(yield increase up to 483%) |
- | https://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.5104787
Max achieved yield for Romaine in MAX layoutː 5800-5900 kg/year - revenue for organic spring mixː 84,000-117,000 USD/year |
Studied paper under review |
| Lettuce | https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2025.146392
(yield increase up to 2%) - simulated outdoor condition in an indoor environment |
- | https://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.5104787
Max achieved yield for Red Lettuce in MAX layoutː 4900-5800 kg/year - revenue for organic spring mixː 84,000-117,000 USD/year |
- |
| Lettuce | https://doi.org/10.1016/j.solener.2025.114006
(yield increase up to 3.6%) - simulated outdoor condition in an indoor environment |
- | - | - |
| Mint | - | - | Max achieved yield in MAX layoutː 1500 kg/year (fresh weight) - revenue for organicsː Needs to be dried.
RECOMMENDATIONSː Not suitable for agrotunnel. |
- |
| Peas | - | - | Max achieved yield in MAX layoutː 1000 kg/year - revenue for organicsː 13,500 USD/year
RECOMMENDATIONSː Advanced lighting system is required. - Advanced biologic experiments should be conducted. |
- |
| Potatoes | - | - | Max achieved yield in grow rack in MAX layoutː 2000-2200 kg/year - revenue for organicsː 7,500 USD/year
(Further experiments under progress) |
- |
| Radishes (red) | - | - | Max achieved yield in big 3D-printed cups in MAX layoutː Rootsː 2500-3000 kg/year, Leavesː 4000 kg/year - revenue for organicsː 49,000-59,000 USD/year
(3D-printed cups paper is under progress) RECOMMENDATIONSː Advanced biologic experiments should be conducted. |
- |
| Strawberries | https://doi.org/10.1016/j.renene.2025.122913
(yield increase up to 18%) |
- | Max achieved yield in big 3D-printed cups in MAX layoutː 1300-2000 kg/year - revenue for organicsː 12,000-18,500 USD/year.
RECOMMENDATIONSː Advanced lighting system is required |
- |
| Strawberries | https://doi.org/10.1016/j.solener.2025.113375
(yield increase up to 40.6%) - simulated outdoor condition in an indoor environment |
- | - | - |
| Strawberries | https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nxener.2025.100474
(yield increase up to 101.4%) - simulated outdoor condition in an indoor environment |
- | - | - |
| Swiss Chard | - | - | https://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.5104787
Max achieved yield in MAX layoutː 3900-4000 kg/year - revenue for organic spring mixː 78,000-109,000 USD/year |
- |
| Tomatoes | - | https://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.6264566
(yield increase up to 38%) |
- | - |
| Turnips | https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2026.148032
(yield increase up to 185.4%) |
- | Max achieved yield in big 3D-printed cups in MAX layoutː White (Fuku)ː Rootsː 7800-7900 kg/year, Leavesː 3000 kg/year - revenue for organicsː 60,000-61,000 USD/year | Purpleː Rootsː 3800-3900 kg/year , Leavesː 3700-3800 kg/year- revenue for organicsː 42,000-43,000 USD/year
(3D-printed cups paper is under progress) RECOMMENDATIONSː Advanced biologic experiments should be conducted. |
- |
| Wheat | - | - | Max achieved yield in MAX layoutː 36 kg/year.
RECOMMENDATIONSː Not suitable for agrotunnel. |
- |
* For agrotunnel, provide yields in kg/year and $/year in the MAX layout.
* The USD to CAD exchange rate is 0.7
The Western Innovation for Renewable Energy (WIRED) system is currently under construction to test out new open source methods to reduce PV systems costs and enable novel forms of agrivoltaics including the world's first agrivoltaic agrotunnel.
- Coal with Carbon Capture and Sequestration is not as Land Use Efficient as Solar Photovoltaic Technology for Climate Neutral Electricity Production
- Dual use of land for PV farms and agriculture literature review
- sheep
- Israeli white plastic reflectors
- A Farmer's Guide to Going Solar (NREL)
- German guidelines: https://www.ise.fraunhofer.de/content/dam/ise/en/documents/publications/studies/APV-Guideline.pdf
- 2021 review
- Miskin, C.K., Li, Y., Perna, A., Ellis, R.G., Grubbs, E.K., Bermel, P. and Agrawal, R., 2019. Sustainable co-production of food and solar power to relax land-use constraints. Nature Sustainability, 2(10), pp.972-980.
- Retrofitting solar parks for agrivoltaics
- Shading PV
- Alexis' talk at American Solar Grazing Association2021
In the News
[edit source]From: Financial Analysis of Agrivoltaic Sheep: Breeding and Auction Lamb Business Models
- Raising sheep for grazing under solar panels makes everyone clean, green money - Western News
- Sheep Grazing Under Solar Panels Yields Green Profits Mirage News
- Agrivoltaics paired with sheep production makes nearly 100% of land grazable TechXplore
- Agrivoltaics paired with sheep production makes nearly 100% of land grazable MSN
- Grazing ’solar’ sheep offer lucrative solution for farmers My Science
- Global Renwable News
- Rinnovabili
- Education News Canada
- How agrivoltaics and “solar” sheep are redefining profitable farming in Canada PV Buzz
- Nature’s best lawnmower: How solar grazing is changing the photovoltaic landscape Euronews
- Yahoo NewZealand
- Bundle
- Photos: Sheep grazing boosts solar farms and soil health in the US and Europe Interesting Engineering
- O melhor cortador de relva da natureza: como o pastoreio solar está a mudar a paisagem fotovoltaica EuroNews
- La meilleure tondeuse à gazon de la nature : comment le pâturage solaire change le paysage photovoltaïque - Observatoiredeleurope
- Solar sheep grazing under agrivoltaic arrays can maximise land use News9
- El mejor cortacésped natural: ¿Cómo el pastoreo solar está cambiando el panorama fotovoltaico? Yahoo Spain
- ‘Solar shepherds’ earn big by grazing sheep on solar farms — and they benefit everyone involved Modern Science
- Sheep farmers are crazy about solar power plants: “Salaries are higher than lawyers” Central asia Climate Portal
- Researchers make unexpected discovery about sheep raised in nontraditional environment: 'There is an enormous opportunity' The Cool Down
- ‘Solar shepherds’ earn big by grazing sheep on solar farms — and they benefit everyone involved The Conversation
- Får och solparker - en vinst för både lantbruk, får och klimat Energinyheter (se)
- Researchers make unexpected discovery about sheep raised in nontraditional environment: 'There is an enormous opportunity' Yahoo
- Une étude révèle un duo gagnant : moutons et panneaux solaires, “un potentiel immense” Le Energeek
- ‘Farming Sunshine’ Brings Food, Power Producers Together for Local Baaa-nefit The Energy Mix
- Bùng nổ ngành nông nghiệp quang điện Saigon Online
- Solar sheep make better wool? The Carbon Almanac
- How to use sheep to manage vegetation at solar farms, boost agriculture Farm Progress
- Tarımsal Voltaik Sistemler ve Koyunlar Tarim Gundem (Turkish)
- Les « moutons solaires », un mariage lucratif entre agriculture et énergie propre Radio Canada
Agrivoltaics in Canada
[edit source]- Solar Sheep, Alberta (https://www.solarsheep.ca/)
- Sun Cycle Farms, Alberta (https://suncyclefarms.com/)
- Golden Leaf Agrivoltaics, Ontario (https://goldenleafagrivoltaics.ca/)
- The Lara Cost Farm, Ontario (https://thelaracosta.com/)
- Arnprior Solar, Ontario (https://www.edf-re.com/project/arnprior-solar/)
- Lewis Land & Stock, Ontario (https://solargrazing.org/asga-call-29-don-lewis-from-lewis-land-stock-of-ontario-canada/)
- Nanticoke Solar, Ontario (https://www.opg.com/stories/hundreds-of-grazing-sheep-helping-to-keep-opgs-nanticoke-solar-facility-in-trim-shape/)
- Western University’s Western Innovation for Renewable Energy Deployment (WIRED) (https://www.appropedia.org/Western_Innovation_for_Renewable_Energy_Deployment_(WIRED))
- Orchard, Middlesex, Ontario
- Solar Grazing Map https://solargrazing.org/map/
| Authors | |
|---|---|
| License | CC-BY-SA-4.0 |
| Cite as | Uzairjamil, Nima Asgari (2025–2026). "FAST Agrivoltaics". Appropedia. Retrieved June 9, 2026. |