SYMBIOSYST · Create a Symbiosis where PV and agriculture can have a mutually beneficial relationship

The decarbonisation of the energy sector is one of the top priorities at various political levels including at the European level. Photovoltaics (PV) is widely seen as one of the key technologies to drive the energy transition. The difficulties arise when the targets for PV (usually set at national level) needs to be put into practice at regional / local level. Although the PV rooftop potential is extremely large and could potentially contribute to the ambitious targets, the rate of installation of PV rooftop systems will not be fast enough to support a rapid transition. On the other hand, large utility-scale PV installations in open fields are not an option in many regions. It is in this context that the concept of Agrivoltaics is emerging. What several decades of efforts developing Building Integrated PV (BIPV) products and systems for rooftops and facades have taught us is that there are multiple levels of integration and various stakeholders across the value chain which can all generate significant barriers to widespread adoption . Agrivoltaics is in fact in the unique position to learn from the past mistakes made with BIPV which delayed the development of cost-effective BIPV solutions and market acceptance. In SYMBIOSYST we will not develop solutions that are highly customized as this would drive the costs up. We will rather innovate by adapting standardized cost-effective solutions in terms of PV modules, mounting structures and Operation and Maintenance (O&M) practices to the specific needs of various crops in different climates and landscapes. We will also find aesthetically pleasing solutions that can be mass manufactured and integrated with the agricultural land in a harmonious way while maintaining the primary goal of farming. The interdisciplinary consortium in SYMBIOSYST is composed of partners across the value chain with decades of experience in agriculture, precision farming, PV modules and systems, social science and integrated PV applications.