by Catie Owen | Oct 27, 2025 | Commercial & Industrial Solar, Europe, Large Scale Utility Solar
SolarPower Europe has launched a new policy-tool, the Agrisolar Policy Map, to benchmark agrisolar regulation across 18 EU member states. The initiative is designed to support deployment of solar in agricultural contexts, aligning energy and farming resilience.
At its launch in Milan on 21 October 2025 during the Agrivoltaics Industry Forum, the Map provided comparative data across six policy domains: legal definitions, land use and zoning, support schemes, technical requirements, agricultural productivity and environmental safeguards.
According to policy advisor Lina Dubina, “The Agrisolar Policy Map is a vital step in unlocking the full potential of agrisolar. By identifying where Member States are leading or lagging, we can better inform EU-level reforms and empower farmers to harvest the sun twice.”
The findings reveal significant regulatory divergence. Only five of the 18 surveyed countries provide a legal definition for agri-PV, and Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) requirements vary widely.
Meanwhile eligibility for the Common Agricultural Policy and support schemes remains inconsistent, limiting uptake among farmers.
SolarPower Europe is calling on EU policymakers to harmonise agrisolar regulations and to provide clearer guidance under the CAP, in order to catalyse further deployment of solar in agricultural settings.
The Policy Map can be found here.
by Catie Owen | Mar 11, 2025 | Commercial & Industrial Solar, Large Scale Utility Solar
The new Farming Sustainability Report, written in association with Solar Energy UK, has demonstrated that an increasing number of UK farmers are installing solar systems.
By diversifying their land use, the farmers have stabilised their income stream, as climate change has caused agricultural challenges such as reduced crop yield, loss of livestock, and disruptions to food production.
In 2024, unreliable and poor weather caused issues such as waterlogged land that prevented reseeding.
The report assessed 271 responses from farmers, landowners, and tenant farmers across the UK to establish the challenges they face and how they’ve adapted to them.
It additionally assesses their attitudes towards renewables to improve both their farm’s economic potential and environmental sustainability.
Solar Energy UK Chief Executive Chris Hewett explained the report’s mission in a foreword for Farming Sustainably: “We believe farmers’ perspectives have been largely missing from the recent national debate on farm renewables.”
The findings
The report published its findings, showing:
- 31% of respondents saw below average or very low production in 2024 – due to poor weather.
- 44% currently have below average or very low incomes.
- 60% are not using renewables– indicating a growth opportunity – however, the respondents noted challenges with connecting to the grid and planning restraints.
- 37% of respondents stated that, despite the above, the additional revenue from investing in solar would help secure the farm’s future for later generations.
“Back in 2014, we were really struggling financially and the additional income from the solar was an absolute lifesaver,” the report quotes from a farmer.
“We went from being £400k overdrawn to receiving a £336k uplift. This pretty much saved the future of the farm and allowed me to diversify into letting, property development and a new livestock enterprise housing cattle over the winter.”
Many of the financial struggles noted came from agricultural challenges caused by climate change, with 7 out of 10 respondents citing it as a negative influence.
Taking up solar
In Hewett’s foreword, he continues: “For many who have been able to diversify, solar is helping to keep their farms viable.
“They have more reliable revenue streams keeping their farms profitable whilst securing domestic food supplies. Suffice to say, energy security and food security are not conflicting missions.”
With panel costs becoming more affordable – prices have fallen by 90% over the last decade – the report concludes that installing solar systems is a proven and viable option to secure farmers’ long-term financial stability.
The advice it provides for farmers looking to invest in solar is to:
- Explore government support and incentives.
- Collaborate with the solar sector and neighbours to build larger PV installations (lower cost per watt).
- Investigate the resources available to myth-bust and improve confidence in renewables – such as solar.
With the London edition of Solar & Storage Live only weeks away, don’t forget to register for your free ticket and join us at the London ExCeL from 2-3 April 2025 – or find a Solar & Storage Live event closer to home.
by Catie Owen | Feb 20, 2025 | Everything Installer, Large Scale Utility Solar
The European Commission has shared a new policy document, titled “A Vision for Agriculture and Food”, which acknowledges the role of solar energy in the EU’s journey towards a sustainable and competitive agricultural market.
According to a statement by the European Commission, the policy document notes that food security and sovereignty are a European priority – as “the agri-food chain is under pressure from the impact of climate change to global competition and higher energy prices.”
The document explains how agrisolar installations can improve both international energy security and financial security for farmers, by offering additional sources of income while also reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
By providing insights into how Europe’s agricultural and agrisolar sectors can together contribute to the EU’s transition to a low-carbon economy, the document provides guidance for future-proofing Europe’s farming industry.
Agrisolar
There are already over 200 agrisolar systems across Europe, which can generate 2.8 GW of clean energy. The installations have also been proven to:
- Benefit wildlife by encouraging biodiversity and building habitats.
- Offering shade to wildlife and livestock during sunny weather.
- Providing a 20-30% improvement in water efficiency*.
- Create a 60% increase in pollinators*.
- Support regenerative agriculture, potentially providing large farms with profit increases of up to €235,000 per annum**.
In response to the paper recognising the role of solar in agriculture for the first time, SolarPower Europe calls the acknowledgement “a landmark moment.”
In its statement, SolarPower Europe implores the European Commission to take further action into future-proofing the sector. Lina Dubina, Policy Advisor at SolarPower Europe, says:
“The Commission should now turn this Vision into action. We ask for concrete amendments to the EU Common Agriculture Policy as well as dedicated guidance to better inform Member States and spread the benefits of Agrisolar to many more farmers and rural economies across Europe.”
* SolarPower Europe’s Agrisolar Best Practice Guidelines v2.0
** Boston Consulting Group and BayWa r.e, 2024
by Manas Sahu | Nov 15, 2024 | Large Scale Utility Solar
Neoen has secured 164 MW of solar and agri-solar projects in the latest round of tenders from the French Energy Regulation Commission (CRE), reinforcing its position as a leader in renewable energy with more than 2.5 GW of capacity now committed in France.
The awarded projects, which include four agri-voltaic sites, are set to be commissioned between 2026 and 2029, with the exception of the 73 MW Tourneuve project, slated for 2032 due to necessary grid upgrades. Neoen’s emphasis on combining clean energy with agricultural practices underscores its commitment to sustainable land management.
CEO Xavier Barbaro praised the company’s ongoing efforts to support the energy transition, noting that a robust pipeline of solar, wind, and storage projects will drive continued growth.
by Catie Owen | Nov 11, 2024 | Commercial & Industrial Solar, Large Scale Utility Solar
SolarPower Europe has released the Agrisolar Handbook, a resource designed to support the agriculture and solar sectors in tackling climate, energy, and food security challenges.
“This is a significant step in SolarPower Europe’s efforts to bring together two critical industries to embrace our shared synergies,” said Walburga Hemetsberger, CEO of SolarPower Europe.
“The future of farming is critical to the EU food independence and resilience. Agrisolar systems boost the farm’s revenue, which can support productive and sustainable investments, and strengthens the farm’s climate resilience on its energy transition journey.”
The handbook outlines agrisolar’s potential benefits, such as up to 60% increased crop yields, better soil temperature stability, and a notable increase in pollinators.
SolarPower Europe stresses that agrisolar-equipped land may qualify for Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) payments and should be supported by incentives for dual land use.
The report also calls for streamlined permitting, improved grid connections, and increased research in agrisolar innovation.
Member of European Parliament Seán Kelly noted, “To fully harness the potential of agrisolar, we must ensure farmers have the tools and incentives to participate.
“This includes simplifying grid connections, streamlining planning approvals, and putting payment schemes in place that encourage collaboration between agriculture and renewable energy.”
Eva Vandest, Chair of SolarPower Europe’s Land Use and Permitting Workstream, added that agrisolar brings value to farmers, solar stakeholders, and local communities.
“This dual land-use model should allow us to achieve the energy transition and mitigate carbon emissions while providing additional services and income to farmers,” she said.
The Agrisolar Handbook will be showcased at the AgriVoltaics Industry Forum in Madrid on November 5-6, where industry and policy leaders will discuss advancing agrisolar in Europe.
This handbook builds on SolarPower Europe’s earlier Agrisolar Best Practice Guidelines, reinforcing its commitment to a resilient agricultural sector.
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