Researchers found that spacing solar-panel rows at least 8 meters apart helps balance crop yields and electricity generation. Production rises rapidly up to about 10 meters and shows diminishing returns above roughly 20 meters. The study used double-sided vertical panels suited to high latitudes, found winter barley corresponded with the highest panel output while oats were lowest, and reported that south-facing arrays outperformed east–west layouts at higher latitudes.
Study Finds Optimal Spacing for Agrivoltaics: Panels ≥8 Meters Balance Crop Yields and Power
Researchers say they have identified a practical spacing strategy that could help agrivoltaic projects — farms that combine solar panels with crop production — become more productive and commercially attractive.
One of the central challenges for agrivoltaics has been shade management: solar panels can reduce the sunlight reaching crops, lowering yields, while tall crops or trees can block sunlight to panels at certain times of day, reducing electricity output. Finding a layout that supports both uses is therefore critical.
Key finding: The study reported in PV Magazine shows that setting solar-panel rows at least 8 meters (about 26 feet) apart allows a strong balance between crop production and power generation. Production increases rapidly up to roughly 10 meters (≈33 feet) of spacing and then continues to improve but at a diminishing rate; gains largely saturate above about 20 meters (≈66 feet).
The experiments used double-sided, vertical solar panels, a configuration well suited to higher-latitude sites where the sun travels lower across the sky. The design can capture reflected light from both sides and can change how shade falls across a field compared with conventional tilted arrays.
The team tested multiple crops and found differences in how they affected electricity generation: winter barley was associated with the highest electricity output from the panels, while oats corresponded with the lowest in this study. The researchers also reported that south-facing arrays captured more light than east–west orientations at the higher latitudes they studied.
Beyond technical performance, agrivoltaics can improve the economics of large solar farms. Dual use of land enables additional revenue streams — for example, solar-farm owners can lease space to farmers — and can make projects more financially viable, increasing incentives to deploy more renewable capacity.
"Increasing row spacing has a significant impact on production, which increases quickly up to 10 meters, though above 20 meters the gains start to saturate," the researchers wrote.
As countries accelerate the shift from fossil fuels to renewables, optimizing agrivoltaic layout and crop choices could help deliver both electricity and food from the same land, improving sustainability and land-use efficiency. Further research in different climates, with varied crops and panel types, will help refine designs for local conditions.
