Project
SMP 2114 Agrivoltaics in Mexico
Agrivoltaics is the combination of solar panels and crop growth on the same land, thus producing both renewable energy and food. The purpose of this seed money project is to explore the potential and interest for Agrivoltaics R&D in Mexico. In Mexico, solar radiation is abundant and under certain conditions crops even need to be sheltered from excessive radiation. In addition, water scarcity is a very serious problem and especially in the north of Mexico a limiting factor for plant growth.
Agrivoltaics can be an opportunity for Mexican growers as it contributes to:
- Income diversification (crop, energy) and thus risk reduction for growers,
- Providing favourable microclimatic conditions for crop growth (decreased evapotranspiration, reduction of photodamage),
- Providing electricity, e.g. in off-grid farms for use in household, pumps for irrigation, post-harvest operations.