How to unlock the EU's Agrisolar Potential

Position Paper

Agrisolar refers to the integration of solar photovoltaic projects within an agricultural activity. Agrisolar includes the deployment of PV on the roof of agricultural buildings, powering agricultural machinery and equipment with solar power, and agricultural photovoltaics (or Agri-PV).

To enable growth of agrisolar across the EU and unlock its potential to strengthen the 
twin clean energy and sustainable agriculture transitions, the EU solar strategy should: 

Promote the development of Agrisolar policy frameworks

  • Ensure agrisolar policy across the EU are harmonised.
  • Issue guidance on the compatibility between Agri-PV projects and the first pillar
    of the Common Agricultural Policy
  • Ensure member state’s CAP Strategic Plans support rural development 
  • Launch an EU Agrisolar initiative to accelerate cooperation between solar and 
    agricultural stakeholders
1

Encourage the development of Agrisolar-specific financial support mechanisms targeted according to project size and type

  • Encourage member states to launch agri-PV tenders that value agricultural and 
    environmental protection objectives, in addition to price.
  • Encourage member states to promote and facilitate of agrisolar through their 
    CAP Strategic Plans 
2

Promote robust and harmonised definitions and develop clear quality assurance frameworks

  • Encourage development of harmonised agrisolar definitions in EU member 
    states.
  • Promote the development of clear quality assurance frameworks to benchmark 
    the quality and performance of agrisolar projects throughout their lifetime. 
  • Plan for the development of an EU-wide agrisolar definition in the future.
3

Streamline project permitting for Agrisolar projects

  • Encourage member states to develop agrisolar indexes and carry out strategic 
    planning processes to identify available agricultural land to develop projects.
  • Ensure member states allow for the development of projects with multiple land
    uses.
4

Channel private and public R&D funding towards sustainable Agrisolar

  • Channel funds to overcome existing technical and agronomical challenges to 
    agri-PV project development.
  • Support the scale-up key innovative approaches to agri-PV, such as the 
    reintroduction of agriculture in existing PV plants or dynamic agri-PV.
5

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