Why Agrivoltaics Is Becoming Essential for Modern Crop Production
Agriculture is entering a new reality. Extreme heat, unpredictable rainfall, and rising energy costs are pushing growers across Europe to look for solutions that protect crops while improving profitability. One of the most promising tools emerging today is agrivoltaics, the combination of crop cultivation and solar energy production in the same area. While agrivoltaics is often described simply as “solar panels above crops”, modern systems go much further. Semi-transparent solar glass is now used in various agrivoltaic designs to balance shade, microclimate stability, and clean energy generation. Among these solutions, Brite Solar’s advanced glass technology stands out: its patented nano-coating converts part of the UV light into red light, creating a more crop-friendly light spectrum compared to conventional materials. In this article, we explore how agrivoltaics interacts with crops, what the latest research shows, and why transparent solar technology is shaping the future of farming.
☀️ What Are Agrivoltaics and How Do They Support Crops?
At its core, agrivoltaics is a dual-use system designed to ▪️ protect crops from excessive heat, intense sunlight, or heavy rain ▪️ reduce irrigation needs by moderating temperature and lowering evaporation ▪️ generate renewable electricity from the same land or greenhouse surface ▪️ support farm resilience during challenging weather conditions. Research institutions across Europe report that controlled shading can create more stable growing conditions, improving water efficiency and providing more consistent yields depending on crop type and climate. 📍When designed specifically for agriculture, agrivoltaics supports both plant growth and energy generation without forcing growers to choose between the two. So benefits of agriculture are very important and have big impact.
🌿 How Crops React to Shading Under Agrivoltaic Systems
Different crops respond uniquely, but several patterns are well documented.
▪️ Crops experience reduced heat stress during hot periods, protecting leaves and fruit quality.
▪️ Water retention improves because cooler leaf temperatures reduce moisture loss.
▪️ Plants benefit from protection against strong winds and intense rainfall, a growing concern in Europe.
▪️ Growth often becomes more uniform, particularly in greenhouses or sensitive specialty crops.
📍Agrivoltaics is not only an energy innovation but also a crop protection tool supporting long-term farm stability.
🔬 Why Solar Glass Matters for Crop Performance
Traditional opaque panels block too much sunlight and disrupt photosynthesis. This is why specialized materials are essential. Semi-transparent solar glass allows controlled transparency, distribution of the correct photosynthetically active radiation (PAR), and performance that aligns with the needs of high-value crops. Optical coatings in some systems can redirect UV or adjust certain wavelengths, enhancing the plant’s light-use efficiency. These innovations enable farms to produce crops and energy together, even in demanding climates.
🌾 Where Agrivoltaics Works Best: Crop Categories
Agrivoltaic systems have proven effective in various agricultural contexts.
🍅 Greenhouse crops:
Tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, leafy greens, microgreens
🍓 Berries & specialty crops:
Strawberries, blueberries, raspberries
🍇 Vineyards & orchards:
Grapes, apples, pears (where shading and heat protection have shown promising effects)
🌿 Mediterranean crops:
Herbs, lettuce, spinach, basil particularly sensitive to heat and water stress
Each application requires careful design, especially regarding transparency and spacing, but results across Europe show strong potential.
Communicate with us to learn more about your crop:
🟥 Phone.: +30 2310 321342
🟥 Email: info@britesolar.com
