Main system
Food & Land
How food is grown, processed and distributed, and the choices that shape what land is used for.
Agriculture, food systems and land use
Agrivoltaics
Sharing the same land between solar panels and crops or grazing, so one field can produce both food and electricity.
The problem
Solar farms and agriculture can end up competing for the same land.
Approach01
How it works
Panel height, row spacing and the choice of crop are planned together, so farming and generation can share the site.
Panels are raised high enough, or spaced widely enough, for crops or grazing beneath and between them.
Crop choice and panel layout are planned together, since some crops cope with partial shade better than others.
The site is run for both uses, with access for farm machinery as well as panel maintenance.
Limitations02
Where it falls short
Raised structures and wider spacing can cost more than conventional solar.
Not every crop suits partial shade, and results vary with climate and site.
Planning rules and land agreements may not yet allow for dual use.
At a glance
Where it fits.
- Main system
- Food & Land
- Also shapes
- Nature, Water
- Used in
- Solar and grazing on shared farmland
How solutions are sourced and reviewed is set out in our methodology.
System and projects
In practice.
Running sheep beneath raised solar panels so one field keeps producing food and power.
Farms near the grid can host solar without giving the land up entirely, if the layout is planned around grazing.
Your questions, answered.
Quick answers about the platform and its content.
A technology or approach that addresses a specific problem in one or more systems, from heat pumps to land shared between farming and solar.
Only where a maturity stage is defined and backed by sources. We don't estimate one.
Always. Every solution lists where it falls short, alongside what it addresses and how it works.
To cover every system, from technologies like heat pumps and batteries to changes in how land, water and materials are used.
From published research and practice. Every entry is reviewed by people who know the field and linked to the systems, solutions and projects it relates to.
