Paving the Way for Agri-PV in Europe: Timelex Publishes Recommendations for Improved Regulations

Agri-photovoltaics (Agri-PV) is the practice of combining agricultural land and solar energy generation. It has emerged as a promising solution for sustainable development at the intersection of green energy and farming. Given the complex rules governing agricultural land use, ensuring the sustainable integration of Agri-PV into Europe’s agricultural, technological and legal landscapes requires careful consideration. As part of the EU-funded REGACE project, Timelex has published a comprehensive legal analysis on the regulation of greenhouse Agri-PV systems, as well as policy recommendations to advance Agri-PV development. This blog post provides a summary of these findings. 

This blog post outlines the concept of Agri-PV and showcases how the REGACE Consortium is innovating in the field. It then provides an overview of the current legislative landscape at both EU and national levels, highlighting how existing frameworks can either enable or hinder wider adoption. Finally, it sets out Timelex’s key recommendations to help establish a clear and supportive regulatory environment for Agri-PV across Europe. 

1. What is Agri-PV and why does it matter? 

Agri-PV is an emerging technology that enables solar panels to coexist with agricultural activities, either in open fields or integrated within greenhouses. This dual-use approach not only helps achieve the EU’s ambitious renewable energy targets but also supports sustainable farming practices and climate resilience.

The REGACE project’s core technology is a “smart” greenhouse PV system equipped with bifacial panels that adjust dynamically to crop needs and enrich CO₂ levels to boost plant growth. Combining physical and statistical models with a “digital twin” approach helps simulate the greenhouse microclimate, optimise energy production and enhance agricultural yield across different locations. 

There is potential for a significant contribution from greenhouse-integrated Agri-PV towards EU renewable goals. Compared to open-field systems, the installation can be cheaper, with lower material and mounting costs and a smaller CO₂ footprint. While there can be slight yield reductions under such panels, CO₂ enrichment in controlled environments helps offset these effects, maintaining competitive productivity.

Furthermore, co-creation and citizen science play a considerable role in driving Agri-PV innovation. In the REGACE project, farmers are actively engaged through co-design sessions and workshops to ensure their expertise shapes the technology, fostering trust, ownership and social sustainability. 

2. Legal Findings: Where Europe Stands 

EU policy frameworks at the foundation 

The dual nature of Agri-PV results in a fragmented regulatory environment for the deployment of such technologies. This is because Agri-PV systems are regulated both by agricultural rules and by rules on (renewable) energy production. Renewable energy and agriculture are shared competences between the EU and Member States. While the EU takes a broad view of its competences over renewable energy, its role in agriculture is more limited to the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). 

A wide range of strategic frameworks at EU level integrate sustainability goals that relate to Agri-PV systems. The CAP integrates sustainability objectives, especially within its rural development schemes. Similarly, the EU Solar Strategy highlights the integration of solar energy into agriculture as an important pathway towards energy independence and decarbonisation goals. The European Green Deal further underlines the importance of innovative renewable energy solutions like Agri-PV in meeting climate targets. Finally, the Regulation on the Governance of the Energy Union and Climate Action requires Member States to implement national energy and climate plans. These plans serve as key instruments for Member States to outline their renewable energy trajectories and can incorporate Agri-PV as one way to reach targets, encouraging dual-use solutions for land.

The scattered regulatory landscape for Agri-PV at the EU level 

There is no specific legislation at EU level on Agri-PV systems. However, several existing and upcoming acts affect the way in which these systems are deployed. Below is a brief overview of supply chain, permitting, data, cybersecurity and finance legislation applicable to Agri-PV systems. These rules can sometimes remove bottlenecks, as is the case for the Renewable Energy Directive, but can also impose higher standards which may become an implementation cost. 

EU legislation affecting supply chains is increasingly shaping the landscape for Agri-PV systems, addressing issues related to sourcing, sustainability, data access, and cybersecurity. Instruments such as the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive and the Critical Raw Materials Act aim to strengthen supply chains, encourage local production and enhance resilience, even though this may entail short-term costs. 

The Revised Renewable Energy Directive III requires faster permitting for renewable energy projects, including Agri-PV, though it has yet to be fully transposed into national law. Additionally, Regulation on the Accelerated Deployment of Renewable Energy designates these projects as being in the public interest, simplifying the permitting process by lowering the standard of proof required to demonstrate the necessity and benefits of such projects. 

Agri-PV systems generate big amounts of useful data to farmers. The Data Act empowers users of connected products to access the data they generate, a provision particularly relevant for advanced Agri-PV systems. This improves operational efficiency and user autonomy but requires robust data-sharing infrastructure. To ensure cybersecurity within this data environment, the NIS2 Directive and Cyber Resilience Act introduce enhanced cybersecurity requirements to help safeguard these systems against cyber threats. 

Meanwhile, green finance tools like the Taxonomy Regulation and the Green Bond Standard could steer investment towards sustainable Agri-PV projects. 

National Frameworks in Europe Remain Fragmented 

Within the report published by Timelex, the legal landscape in five EU Member States was surveyed: Austria, France, Germany, Greece and Italy. This aimed to identify lessons from different Member States’ approaches to Agri-PV in areas such as permitting, CAP support, and financing. France and Germany have the most developed legal frameworks for Agri-PV. Both countries aim to balance energy production with farming needs, though they place different emphases in their policies. Greece and Italy are developing their rules quickly; clearer procedures and stronger grid infrastructure could support wider adoption. Austria’s framework is still limited, and clearer standards and incentives would help expand Agri-PV beyond small-scale projects. Overall, all surveyed countries present opportunities for further improvement. 

One noteworthy incident in Italy was the national public discourse on Agri-PV systems. In May 2024, Italy decided to prohibit ground-mounted photovoltaic installations on agricultural land. Agri-PV systems, which genuinely combine agricultural activity and solar energy generation, were excluded from the scope of this ban. Nevertheless, some media reporting framed Agri-PV systems as being harmful to farmers, whereas the goal of Agri-PV is precisely to enable sustainable farming practices. It is important to take public concern seriously, dispel myths and encourage farmer engagement. 

3. Key recommendations for policymakers 

The report, co-authored by Ezgi Ercan, Wout Platteau, Pieter Gryffroy and Frederic Debusseré, sets out clear and actionable recommendations for EU and national policymakers: 

• The Common Agricultural Policy should explicitly ensure that Agri-PV installations do not disqualify farmers from receiving support, and mechanisms should be established to monitor compliance with legal standards; 

• National permitting procedures for renewable energies should be simplified and shortened. It should also be clarified that Agri-PV projects are permissible on agriculturally zoned land; 

• States are encouraged to implement dedicated support schemes for agrivoltaics, enhance rural energy grid infrastructure, and provide bonuses for agrivoltaics in tender evaluations; 

• Clear tax benefits and guidance on benefit-sharing across the agrivoltaics value chain would further incentivise adoption; 

• Finally, stakeholders should actively address misinformation to build public trust and awareness of the benefits of Agri-PV systems. 

You can read the draft report, Recommendations for Improved Regulations (D7.1), here. 

Note: This is a preliminary version and has not yet been approved by the European Commission.

4. Webinar: From Agri-PV Greenhouses to Fork: Exploring Solar Innovation and Legal Pathways in Sustainable Farming 

During the recent REGACE webinar, experts presented cutting-edge aspects of Agri-PV and discussed how legal frameworks can unlock its full potential in Europe. 

Did you miss the discussion? Watch the webinar recording here. 

Contact Us 

At Timelex, we continue to support the legal and policy groundwork that allows innovative green technologies like Agri-PV to flourish responsibly across Europe and beyond. For questions or opportunities for collaboration, do not hesitate to contact our team. 

This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe Research and Innovation Programme under Grant Agreement No. 101096056. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or CINEA. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.