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Research on agrivoltaic systems (AVS) has focused on their technical efficacy rather than the social dimensions of their installation and usage. In this study, researchers worked with participants in East Africa who had installed AVS on their farms to better understand their experiences with the technology. They also sought to identify factors that could widen AVS adoption in the region.
Agrivoltaic systems (AVS) offer an innovative opportunity for farmers to generate energy, harvest rainwater and reduce crop losses by shading and sheltering plants from extreme weather. These elevated solar panels have been gaining popularity in East Africa, as they increase electricity access and improve agricultural yields while still allowing access to land.
An agrivoltaic system on a farm in East Africa. Metal gutters run along the solar panels to harvest rainwater, which can be collected and distributed through solar-powered irrigation systems. Underneath, kale, onion, tomatoes and other salad crops are being grown.
Photo: Chloride Exide Limited
So far, research on AVS has left their social dimensions under-explored, especially in East Africa. In this paper, the authors – from SEI York, SEI Africa and the University of York – wanted to identify what factors enabled uptake of AVS and what institutions and support would increase use of AVS in East Africa. They also wanted to work with participants to understand if widening AVS adoption could help address the region’s complex interrelated climate, energy and food production challenges, both current and future.
The research team worked with 14 participants across two case study farms in Kenya and Tanzania to explore the experiences of current AVS users. They also conducted interviews with just over 40 more farmers and held two workshops with diverse regional stakeholders to gain further insight into the perceived benefits of and barriers to AVS adoption.
Participants identified a number of barriers to expanding and accessing AVS, including upfront investment costs, uncertainty over land tenure, and systems producing more power than smallholders were able to use, thereby wasting energy. However, participants also shared that AVS adoption did help to address critical challenges: access to solar power enabled farmers to use better irrigation systems, improving crop yields in dry seasons. In general, better access to power gave farmers increased development options and improved food security.
The authors called for further engagement with smallholder and cooperative farmers to see how the barriers identified could be overcome. This would offer further opportunities to explore how AVS adoption could work for vulnerable groups in East Africa.
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