Bridging the Energy-food Gap: Current Status and Future prospects in Modern Agrivoltaic Configurations

Abstract

Agrivoltaic (AV) systems integrate photovoltaic electricity generation with agricultural production on the same land, offering a strategic response to the global “poly-crisis” of energy insecurity, food system disruption, and freshwater stress. Unlike conventional utility-scale solar farms, which often convert agricultural land to single-purpose energy production, agrivoltaics enables the shared use of land resources by combining PV modules and crop cultivation. This approach is based on the principle that silicon solar cells primarily utilize ultraviolet and infrared wavelengths that are not essential for photosynthesis, while plants depend mainly on Photosynthetically Active Radiation (PAR; 400–700 nm). Through optimized panel spacing, tilt angle, and mounting height, AV systems can sustain both crop productivity and electricity generation. Their combined performance is commonly evaluated using the Land Equivalent Ratio (LER), with well-designed systems achieving values between 1.3 and 1.9, indicating superior land-use efficiency. This review traces the conceptual evolution of agrivoltaics from the pioneering proposal of Goetzberger and Zastrow in 1982 to contemporary configurations, including vertical bifacial systems, dynamic tracking designs, and spectral-management technologies. It further examines microclimatic effects across diverse agro-climatic zones and evaluates global implementation pathways, with particular emphasis on India’s PM-KUSUM framework. Key challenges include the lack of standardized performance benchmarks, limited long-term field data in India, and structural and engineering constraints. The review identifies these research gaps and proposes a roadmap for AI-enabled, IoT-integrated, climate-smart agrivoltaic systems for the 2026–2030 horizon.