I. Landmark Breakthroughs in Farmland PV in 2023

China’s first “grain-protecting PV” project comes online in Guangxi. In March 2023, the paddy field transformation project of the new LED light-supplementing technology grain-protecting PV project in Luan Town, Hengxian County, Guangxi, was successfully completed. The project, located in Luan Town, Hengzhou City, Nanning, Guangxi, covers about 500 mu (approx. 33 hectares) and has a total installed capacity of 30.16 MW. It is China’s first integrated PV power generation and staple food (rice) production project, jointly advanced by CHN Energy Guangxi Company and Nanjing Agricultural University. In June 2023, the first batch of modules successfully connected to the grid; by November 25, the project achieved full-capacity grid connection.

The project adopted a nationally pioneering “grain-protecting PV” model. By installing new LED light-supplementing devices on the backside of PV modules, a small amount of electricity generated by the PV system is directly supplied to the LEDs. This compensates for the natural light reduction caused by shading from the panels, providing suitable illumination for rice photosynthesis and healthy growth, thereby effectively achieving a three-dimensional structure, dual use of land, and composite income. In November 2022, the first rice crop planted on the project site achieved a bumper harvest, demonstrating that PV power generation and staple grain production can coexist. After full operation, the project will deliver 31.9601 GWh of green clean electricity annually, saving 10,000 tonnes of standard coal and reducing CO₂ emissions by approximately 26,600 tonnes.

Xiaochang 5,800-mu agri-PV project connects to grid. In December 2023, the agri-PV project in Jidian Township, Xiaochang County, Xiaogan City, Hubei Province, was connected to the grid. The project covers a total area of 5,800 mu (approx. 387 hectares) with a total investment of 1.1 billion yuan. It is expected to supply 300 GWh of electricity annually to the local grid, generating about 120 million yuan in annual output value. The project was designed from the outset to integrate agricultural and livestock production needs. All PV panels were elevated, leaving space underneath for comprehensive land use, achieving dual benefits: power generation above and agricultural production below.

Shaanxi “dry belt” agri-PV trial achieves yield increase. In Liquan County, Shaanxi Province, a research and development project on agri-PV integration in arid and semi-arid regions carried out a wheat-growing season trial from October 2023 to May 2024. The team developed a novel technology combining “horizontal single-axis PV brackets with light-transmitting scattering panels.” Trial results showed that under the innovative agri-PV model, average wheat yield per mu increased by 0.4% to 4.5%, while monthly PV generation rose by nearly 10%.

II. Technological Innovations in Farmland PV Installation Design

In 2023, installation technologies specifically designed for farmland PV scenarios presented three major trends: innovative mounting structures, intelligent light supplementation, and precision design.

Breakthrough in flexible mounting technology. DAS Solar’s independently developed flexible mounting system was widely adopted in agri-PV applications in 2023. The system features three core advantages: high ground clearance, large span, and low cost. Compared with traditional rigid mounts, it saves more than 25% of land use in hilly areas while reducing foundation work and steel consumption. The flexible mounting components are prefabricated in factories, requiring minimal on-site assembly. PV modules are installed using a sliding method without needing alignment holes for purlins, increasing installation efficiency by 20%. This effectively addresses pain points of traditional PV mounts, such as excessive land occupation, difficult dual-use integration, and high engineering costs.

Co-optimization of tracking mounts and light supplementation. The innovative agri-PV model in Liquan, Shaanxi, features two technical highlights. First, PV modules are arranged in an east‑west single-axis tracking configuration, which increases sunlight transmittance through the land by more than 30% while reducing soil moisture evaporation and improving moisture retention. Second, an array of light‑transmitting scattering panels precisely diffuses sunlight onto the ground shaded by the PV modules, alleviating to some extent the adverse effects of shading on crop photosynthesis.

Optimization design of symbiotic PV systems. In 2023, international academia also conducted systematic research on farmland PV design. A study published in Sustainability used a combination of the Taguchi method and grey relational analysis to perform multi‑quality characteristic optimization design of symbiotic agri-PV systems. The results showed that the main control factors affecting PV generation and farmland sunlight hours are, in order, geographic location, panel width, tilt angle, and column height. By optimizing these parameters, an optimal design can achieve about 26,497 kWh of generation and about 1,963 hours of farmland sunlight. This study provides a quantitative basis for scientific design of farmland PV systems.

III. Comprehensive Policy Framework for Agri-PV in 2023

In 2023, a series of policies were intensively issued at the national level to regulate and support agri-PV development, providing institutional safeguards for farmland PV compliance.

Three ministries issue new rules on classified management of PV land use. On March 20, 2023, the General Office of the Ministry of Natural Resources, the General Office of the National Forestry and Grassland Administration, and the General Office of the National Energy Administration jointly issued the Notice on Supporting the Development of the PV Power Generation Industry and Regulating Land Use Management (Document No. 12 [2023] of the Ministry of Natural Resources). According to the notice, “PV array land shall not occupy cultivated land.” Where other agricultural land is used, it should be reasonably controlled, used sparingly and intensively, and adverse impacts on ecology and agricultural production should be avoided. PV array land is subject to land use record‑filing and does not require non‑agricultural construction land approval. This policy further clarifies the land use boundaries for agri-PV projects, building on the 2017 Document No. 8.

National pilot counties for rural energy revolution launched. On March 23, 2023, the National Energy Administration, the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, and the National Rural Revitalization Administration jointly issued the Notice on Organizing the Construction of Pilot Counties for Rural Energy Revolution (Document No. 23 [2023] of the National Energy Administration). The notice encourages the use of new residential rooftops, factory and public building rooftops, farmers’ own building rooftops, and facility agriculture for PV power generation, fully utilizing rural space resources to vigorously promote distributed development of wind and solar power.

National Energy Administration explicitly supports integrated agri-PV development. On October 17, 2023, in its reply to Recommendation No. 4886 of the First Session of the 14th National People’s Congress, the National Energy Administration clearly stated that the “agri-PV” integration model can both promote green, low‑carbon, high‑quality development of agriculture and expand renewable energy application scenarios, while also improving land use efficiency. The reply also proposed promoting the construction of agri-PV and “PV + facility agriculture” projects, strengthening the organic combination of PV power generation and agricultural facilities.

Ministry of Natural Resources issues rural revitalization land use policy guide. On November 14, 2023, the General Office of the Ministry of Natural Resources issued the Land Use Policy Guide for Rural Revitalization (2023), reiterating the policy bottom line that PV array land must not occupy cultivated land, and specifying management measures for supporting facilities of PV projects.

IV. International Perspectives on Agri-PV Development

In 2023, agri-PV also became an important topic in renewable energy and agricultural policy worldwide.

U.S. introduces multiple agri-PV bills. On May 31, 2023, U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (New Mexico) and Mike Braun (Indiana) jointly introduced the Agrivoltaics Research and Demonstration Act of 2023 (S. 1778), which would authorize $75 million to promote agri-PV research and application. Under the bill, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) would receive $15 million annually for five years to develop best practice guidelines for farmers and solar developers, promoting large‑scale implementation of agri-PV systems. In September 2023, the Future of Farmland Conservation Act of 2023 was also introduced, explicitly requiring the USDA to support smart solar projects in its programs.

EU publishes best practice guidelines for agri-PV. On August 30, 2023, SolarPower Europe released the second edition of the Best Practice Guidelines for Agrivoltaics, providing guidance for solar industry stakeholders to deploy sustainable agri-PV practices. The guidelines point out that dual land‑use models can meet renewable energy production needs while simultaneously enhancing agricultural value, particularly by providing optimal crop protection under extreme weather conditions. Benefits include improved land efficiency, better water and other resource use efficiency, increased crop yields, and enhanced soil health and biodiversity.

Multiple European countries actively promote agri-PV demonstration projects. The Flakbjerg Solar Park in Denmark, developed by European Energy in partnership with Aarhus University and the University of Copenhagen, features a self-developed hydraulic lifting system. After installation, the solar panels can be raised to working height. The tracking system keeps modules moving with the sun throughout the day, and they can be manually tilted into “passage mode” to allow large agricultural machinery to operate between rows. The project’s target output is 80% of dedicated land yields for both solar and crops, achieving a combined output of 160%. A study by the Fraunhofer Institute in Germany also noted that agri-PV is particularly suitable for arid regions, where shading helps regulate water balance and increase agricultural yields.