[Paper Review] Comparative analysis of PV configurations for agrivoltaic systems in Europe

Kamran Ali Khan Niazi, Marta Victoria|arXiv (Cornell University)|Nov 1, 2022

Photovoltaic Systems and Sustainability4 citations

TL;DR

This study evaluates three agrivoltaic (APV) configurations—optimal tilt, vertical bifacial, and single-axis tracking—across Europe using a shadowing model to assess electricity yield and crop suitability. It finds that a 30 W/m² capacity density balances high energy output with >80% land usability for crops, revealing a potential 51 TW capacity and 71,500 TWh/year electricity generation—28× Europe’s current demand.

ABSTRACT

Agrivoltaics (APV) is the dual use of land by combining agricultural crop production and photovoltaic (PV) systems. In this work, we have analyzed three different APV configurations: static with optimal tilt, vertically-mounted bifacial, and single-axis horizontal tracking. A model is developed to calculate the shadowing losses on the PV panels along with the reduced solar irradiation reaching the area under them for different PV capacity densities. First, we investigate the trade-offs using a location in Denmark as a case study and second, we extrapolate the analysis to the rest of Europe. We find that the vertical and single-axis tracking produce more uniform irradiance on the ground, and a capacity density of around 30 W/m2 is suitable for APV systems. Based on our model and a 100 m-resolution land cover database, we calculate the potential for APV in every NUTS-2 region within the European Union (EU). The potential for APV is enormous as the electricity generated by APV systems could produce 28 times the current electricity demand in Europe. Overall, the potential capacity for APV in Europe is 51 TW, which would result in an electricity yield of 71500 TWh/year.

Motivation & Objective

• To assess the technical and spatial feasibility of three PV configurations in agrivoltaic systems across Europe.
• To quantify shadowing losses on PV panels and irradiance reduction on the ground for different configurations.
• To identify optimal capacity density (30 W/m²) that balances high electricity yield with sustained agricultural productivity.
• To map eligible land for APV in EU NUTS-2 regions using high-resolution land cover data and spatial constraints.
• To estimate the total electricity potential of APV across Europe under realistic deployment scenarios.

Proposed method

• Developed a dynamic shadowing model to simulate hourly irradiance on PV panels and ground surface based on solar position and panel geometry.
• Used PVGIS irradiance data and 100 m-resolution Corine Land Cover database to assess regional variations across Europe.
• Applied spatial constraints (distance to forests, settlements, roads) and land-use categories to identify eligible APV areas.
• Calculated electricity yield using annual irradiance data and performance ratios for each configuration at NUTS-2 level.
• Evaluated trade-offs between electricity generation, shading patterns, and crop suitability using irradiance distribution maps.
• Assessed performance across configurations using metrics including price-weighted electricity yield and annual energy output.

Experimental results

Research questions

• RQ1 How do different PV configurations (optimal tilt, vertical bifacial, single-axis tracking) affect shadowing and ground irradiance distribution in agrivoltaic systems?
• RQ2 What is the optimal capacity density that maximizes electricity yield while maintaining >80% of land suitable for crop production?
• RQ3 What is the spatial distribution and total potential of agrivoltaic systems across European NUTS-2 regions?
• RQ4 How does the annual electricity yield vary across configurations and regions under realistic land-use constraints?
• RQ5 To what extent can agrivoltaic systems meet or exceed Europe’s current electricity demand?

Key findings

• The single-axis tracking configuration produced the highest annual electricity yield due to continuous sun tracking.
• The vertical bifacial configuration provided the most uniform ground irradiance distribution, minimizing crop shading variability.
• A capacity density of 30 W/m² was identified as optimal, balancing high electricity output with over 80% of land remaining suitable for agriculture.
• The total potential capacity for agrivoltaic systems in Europe is 51 TW, capable of generating 71,500 TWh/year of electricity.
• This electricity output is 28 times higher than Europe’s current annual electricity demand.
• Eligible APV land covers 16.2% of the EU’s total area (1.7 million km²), with highest suitability in southern and eastern Europe, and countries like Denmark (53.9%) and Ireland (63.9%) showing high potential.