Investigation of agrivoltaic systems development in Greece

Agrivoltaic systems offer an alternative approach to agricultural land use by enabling the simultaneous production of electricity and agricultural products on the same land. However, the installation of photovoltaic panels modifies the solar radiation available to crops, potentially affecting agricultural productivity. The aim of this master's thesis is to investigate the potential for agrivoltaic development in Greece through a comparative assessment of different photovoltaic configurations and crop types. The study examined ten locations across Greece, considering two selected crops per location and using hourly meteorological data for 2022. Four photovoltaic panel types were evaluated: one conventional panel and three semi-transparent panels with light transmittance levels of 40%, 50%, and 70%. Three distances between photovoltaic rows, namely 4,5,6 m were considered. The analysis was conducted at three representative spatial positions to assess variations in solar radiation within each configuration. For each scenario, incident solar radiation, electricity generation, crop production, and crop evapotranspiration were estimated. In addition, the Water Saving Index (WSI) and Land Equivalent Ratio (LER) were calculated to evaluate changes in crop water requirements and the overall efficiency of combined land use. The results indicated that increasing both the distance between photovoltaic rows and panel transmittance improved solar radiation availability for crops, with panel transmittance generally having a stronger influence. Conversely, electricity generation per unit of land area decreased as either parameter increased. Greater solar radiation availability was associated with higher estimated crop production and evapotranspiration, whereas configurations providing stronger shading generally resulted in higher WSI values. Furthermore, the LER analysis highlighted the substantial contribution of the energy component to overall land-use efficiency and the importance of jointly considering agricultural and electricity production. Overall, the findings demonstrate the potential of agrivoltaic systems to support the combined use of agricultural land in Greece. The selection of an appropriate configuration depends on the desired balance between crop productivity, electricity generation, and reduced crop water requirements.