09 February 2026 Agrivoltaics research shows climate shapes success

With increasing food demand and land-use competition between agriculture and energy production, agrivoltaic systems are emerging as a solution. In New Zealand, these installations are attracting interest, driven by growing awareness of solar energy and demand for greener power-generation options. To understand global patterns in agrivoltaic systems specialising in horticultural crops, researchers analysed installations worldwide.

Te Whare Wānaka o Aoraki Lincoln University researchers Dr Wei Zhang, Dr Pieter-Willem Hendriks, Dr Shannon Page, Professor Alan Renwick, Dr Tom Maxwell, Associate Professor Clive Kaiser and Dr Wim de Koning—along with colleagues from Shandong University of Science and Technology and Colorado State University—co-authored the article Climatic and design tipping points in agrivoltaics crop production systems: A meta-analysis published in Agronomy for Sustainable Development. The research highlights that solar installation design and effectiveness, as well as crop choice, vary widely across climates and regions.

“Here in New Zealand, there’s a lot of interest in agrivoltaics,” says Dr Hendriks. “At the moment, most installations on agricultural land are pasture-focused, so we wanted to understand systems complemented by horticultural crops to see if there are any similarities in their setup and effectiveness.

“What we found was that there are no golden rules to design, including what crops are most suitable. There are many variables in crop size, height and type with solar panels affecting productivity differently depending on the climate. The assumption that solar arrays mean less light, more shade and therefore lower crop production is not the case in most climates.”

To achieve optimal results, agrivoltaics design should be region- and climate-specific, with a strong focus on supporting a range of crops. 

“Every solar farm stands on its own—it’s hard to replicate as each is designed for local conditions. Most research has been conducted in the Northern Hemisphere, where conditions differ greatly from those in the Southern Hemisphere, which includes countries with high solar potential. We also found that much of the research focuses on testing crops within existing photovoltaic systems rather than customising arrays to crop needs. This limits the potential to enhance yield and quality.”

Dr Hendriks notes crop yield responses under shading from solar panels vary by crop type and climate. At low shading levels, interference with photosynthesis or growth is minimal. Interestingly, the microclimate created by arrays can benefit crops.

“From our analysis, shading rates between 30 and 40 percent can support plant growth while maintaining reasonable solar output. Arrays provide a microclimate that generally yields lower soil temperatures and higher air and soil humidity, with air temperatures remaining stable, reducing extremes such as frost. This protective effect compensates for any minor yield reductions caused by shading. In particular, adjustable solar panels support plant productivity and allow for greater flexibility in crop choice.”

Crop choice is climate-dependent, and while shade-tolerant plants generally perform better, the research found an unexpected success story with potatoes. 

“Though they need lots of sunlight, within an agrivoltaics installation, potatoes have a higher economic yield as they tend to grow to commercially viable table size—not too big or too small.”

Agrivoltaics offer a dual benefit of sustainable energy and productive land use. To support this in New Zealand, there is a greater need for national-level discussion of the ability to transfer generated power to a provider for distribution to end consumers. 

“The future of agrivoltaics is bright, with benefits already demonstrated worldwide. To ensure its success, we need to address the infrastructure required to manage and transport electricity generated by agrivoltaics installations. We need to ensure the grid can cope with this type of energy and that it is distributed to end users efficiently,” says Dr Hendriks. 

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