Study Visit in Spain within the frame of the EAGER Project
On the 26th and 27th of February 2025, a study visit within the framework of the EAGER project – “Easing AGrophotovoltaics for EuRope”, co-funded by the Interreg Europe Programme 2021-2027, took place in Palencia, Spain. The host of the event was the Palencia Provincial Council and the Agricultural and Agri-Food Technology Centre (ITAGRA).
EAGER partners and stakeholders from the participating regions became familiar with agrophotovoltaics (APV) good practices from the rural region of Castilla y León, as well as APV policies and initiatives at national and regional level from Spain. This initiative aims to highlight the benefits and opportunities of APV and its potential to become a new tool for development and greater sustainability in the agri-food sector.
On the first working day, the event, which also included the attendance of the general public, started with a welcome speech by the president of the Palencia Provincial Council. It was showcased the development of the agricultural and renewable energy sectors in the different regions in Spain. Various energy communities and stakeholders involved in the event addressed the topics of APV project financing, intelligent agrivoltaic systems, and renewable energy sources. A review of EAGER project as well as existing Spanish policies at national and regional level to stimulate the larger deployment of APV was done.
This was followed by a roundtable dialogue with prominent guest speakers from different Spanish authorities and institutions where barriers and potential solutions in the Spanish context of agricultural development and APV systems deployment have been discussed. Many questions from the public were resolved by the experts in this session.
On the first day of the event, partners had also a Steering committee meeting to discuss the progress of EAGER project and to define next steps and events to be implemented within the project.
On the second day, ITAGRA organized several on-site visits to demonstrate innovative solutions and best practices in the area of APV. The first example was a model presented in Fungisolar-Iberdrola (Revilla Vallejera, Spain) that combines at the same time production of crops like mushrooms, and energy production. The Spanish stakeholder Iberdrola presented innovative initiatives to recover the soil of a solar panel plant by growing mushrooms with the help of using the shade of the solar panels. At that location, partners and stakeholders got familiar with another two interesting initiatives: Project Wine Solar and Project APV Basaldea. The Wine Solar project results contribute to potential water savings of 30%, increase in soil moisture by 14%, decrease in soil temperature by 12%, decrease in ambient temperature during peak hours between 2°C and 5°C, and decrease in wind speed due to panel barrier by 28%. The main outcomes from the APV Basaldea project are: an elevated structure 4 m over apple trees, usable surface loss of only 1%, ground projection of 38.84%, and use of control surfaces.
Another interesting initiative that was showcased is the CIFP San Gabriel, an APV with a tracker system over a vineyard (Aranda, Spain) installed by Powerfultree, this is a research unit that cultivates vineyard, calculates how much is the generation of energy and checks the soil moisture depending on the different position of the shadow from the photovoltaics. The shade also helps winemakers avoid excess solar radiation, allowing them to cultivate better grapes for wine. This construction reduces the vineyard area by only 5%, which leads to a great benefit from electricity generation.
The last location was a wine cellar: Pradorey (Aranda, Spain), this is a wine production farm where since more than 20 years the owners installed a solar garden for self-consumption, nowadays they also have photovoltaics panels on its roof to help produce hot water, setting an example of a circular economy.
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With the EU aiming for significant renewable energy expansion, APV systems can bridge land optimization difficulties by combining solar energy production with crop cultivation on the same parcel of land. APV also offers investment opportunities for numerous stakeholders and fosters collaboration with local communities in their transition to renewable energy.
The EAGER project facilitates the adoption of APV systems across partner regions. By fostering a shared understanding of this technology, identifying best practices, and enhancing policy instruments, this project is paving the way for a greener future.
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