Eko Agro Group (EAG) has signed a preliminary agreement (MoU) with RWE Renewables Italia to develop 35 Agrivoltaic (APV) sites across several regions in Italy. The sites will cover thousands of hectares of agricultural land and are expected to generate up to 700MW/h of clean energy. This collaboration will create an operational structure based on the EAG model to develop APV sites in suitable areas belonging to RheAura’s associates. The agreement marks a significant step for EAG in achieving its goal of promoting sustainable agriculture practices on a large scale and is a positive sign for investors seeking certified and financed business models in this space.
APV sites have become increasingly popular as they enable farmers to utilize their land for agriculture and energy generation, leading to greater efficiency and sustainability. EAG has been at the forefront of promoting APV systems. This partnership with RWE Renewables Italia will help accelerate the development of these sites in Italy, contributing to the country’s renewable energy targets and promoting sustainable farming practices.
Is Agrivoltaic The Future Of Certain Segments Of Agriculture?
A new study from researchers at Cornell University found that pairing solar panels with agriculture can create a symbiotic relationship. The study, entitled “The potential for agrivoltaics to enhance solar farm cooling,” measured the impact of panel height, ground albedo, and evapotranspiration on both crops and solar panels. The results indicated that an agrivoltaic system could provide up to 10 °C cooling benefits to solar panels, with ground conditions and panel height playing a crucial role in solar farm cooling.
The findings have significant implications for resolving the global food-energy crisis, enabling agricultural production, and improving solar PV conversion efficiency on the same land. This study provides evidence that agrivoltaic systems can boost sustainability efforts, improve energy production and help address the issue of limited land availability for food and energy production.
Photo by American Public Power Association on Unsplash
