EDF R&D and Renewables test innovative and efficient solutions to develop the renewable energy sector in the energy mix. One important way to achieve this is to increase the land available and potential for the development of photovoltaic production. To this end, agrivoltaic solutions are being studied to find a win-win situation between agricultural surface area and the production of electricity by photovoltaic panels.
 

In September 2019, an Agri-PV demonstration was set up on the EDF Lab Les Renardières (77) research site and alfalfa, a feed crop, was sown.

Several harvests have taken place since the spring.
First observation: the stems are much longer and the leaves are larger in the sheltered area under the panels than in the control area exposed to the sun. The alfalfa has probably benefited from the protection of the panels, especially in this hot and dry summer.

Since September 2022, almost 1,200 kg of squash were collected by the local market gardener.

The samples will now be analysed at our academic partner the INRAE (Institut national de recherche pour l’agriculture, l’alimentation et l’environnement - National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and the Environment).
The lessons learned from monitoring the growth and harvests of this feed species will allow us to extrapolate the operation of Agri-PV systems to other plants.

Agri-PV demonstration at EDF Lab Les Renardières

New for 2021: the harvest continues!

Meals have been prepared at EDF's R&D sites in Ile de France using the latest crop of squash grown under Agri-PV panels. We eat very, very locally at EDF R&D!