Smart Agrivoltaics

Dear Colleagues,

The global population is rapidly increasing and is expected to reach nearly 10 billion by 2050, intensifying the demand for food, energy, and shelter. This growth places enormous pressure on water resources, food security, and climate stability. In response to these interconnected challenges, agrivoltaics has emerged as a promising and sustainable solution that integrates agricultural production with renewable energy generation on the same land. By enabling dual land use, agrivoltaics systems support food production while simultaneously generating clean solar energy.

Agrivoltaics systems allow the same piece of land to be utilized for diverse agricultural activities, including crop cultivation, livestock grazing, poultry farming, beekeeping, and the establishment of native vegetation. The integration of solar panels also creates a modified microclimate, which can reduce evapotranspiration, conserve soil moisture, and improve water-use efficiency—ultimately supporting resilient and high-quality crop production.

The concept of smart agrivoltaics further enhances this system by incorporating advanced technologies such as smart irrigation, automated vegetation management, robotic machinery, UAV-based phenotyping, and variable-rate precision spraying. These innovations enable real-time monitoring, data-driven decision-making, and optimized resource use. As a result, smart agrivoltaics systems not only sustain crop yields but also improve productivity, reduce water consumption, and promote climate-smart agriculture. By integrating IoT-based technologies and precision farming approaches, smart agrivoltaics offers a transformative pathway toward sustainable agriculture and energy production.

Dr. Saddam Hussain
Guest Editor

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