Dual Use Solar

Explore Dual Use Solar

“Dual Use” refers to agricultural production and electricity production from solar photovoltaic (PV) panels occurring together on the same piece of land. These combined systems are sometimes also referred to as "agrivoltaics," "agrisolar," or "co-location" of solar and agriculture. It is expected that in most cases individual crop yield (lbs/acre) or electricity output (kWh/acre) will be lower in dual-use systems than it would be if either activity was carried out alone. T&T Solar in Charlotte, NC, provides solar panels for dual use or agrivoltaic purposes.

What Are the Benefits of Dual Use Solar or Agrivoltaics?

There are different benefits of co-locating solar and crop production for solar energy developers and farmers.

Benefits to Solar Developers Include:

Reduced installation costs – The use of previously tilled agricultural may prevent the need for expensive grading to flatten land to a usable level.
Reduced upfront risk – Geotechnical risks can increase the cost of solar installation due to increased testing needs. Previously tilled agricultural land was identified as the “least risk option” during a series of surveys with solar installers.
Reduced legal risk – By using previously disturbed land, solar installers can reduce the risk of up-front litigation during the environmental review process.
Potential increase in PV performance – Vegetation under modules can contribute to lower soil temperatures and increase solar performance.