Could mobile solar panels produce both energy and better wines? A French company researching solar panels and agriculture has conducted studies at pilot vineyards in southern France for several growing seasons. They say that their mobile solar panels can be positioned to create microclimates for vines, producing grapes with lower potential alcohol, higher acidity levels and better aromatic profiles, as well as healthier vines, higher yields and a reduced need for irrigation.
“The shading provided by the panels slows sugar accumulation in the grapes, resulting in lower potential alcohol levels,” explained Nathanaël Kasriel, deputy director of Sun’Agri, a private company that focuses on adapting agriculture to climate change. “Simultaneously, the cooler temperatures under the panels help preserve acidity, a key factor in wine balance. The shift in ripening time also allows for harvesting at optimal maturity under milder temperature conditions.”
How Does It Work?
“In a nutshell, we develop dynamic agrivoltaics solutions for agriculture,” said Kasriel. What that means is they install mobile solar panels in fields, positioned above crops. The panels are shifted during the day by computer to vary how much sunlight the plants receive. “Through our algorithms, our day-to-day job is to place panels in an optimized position to either provide shade to the crop to protect it from climatic hazards (drought, excessive sunlight, frost, heavy rain), or let it do photosynthesis.” The goal is to both produce energy for the region and help farmers.
Kasriel said the micro-climates created by the panels show potential for pleasing aromatic profiles. “Our preliminary results, especially from Tresserre [a part of the Roussillon appellation] in 2023, suggest that dynamic agrivoltaics can enhance desirable aromas in wine.” Their findings have spurred more studies. “More research is planned with white Viognier grapes at the Rodilhan site [a commune in the Languedoc] starting in 2025 to understand the impact on white wine aroma profiles.”
Higher Yields
The 2024 round of the study took place at experimental vineyards in the Southern Rhône Valley, where the team tested Grenache Blanc, Chardonnay and Marselan. The yields were 20 percent to 60 percent higher than the control vineyards, depending on the grape variety. Chardonnay enjoyed the highest increase in yields at 60 percent, followed by Marselan (30 percent) and Grenache Blanc (20 percent).
“The panels provide protection from frost, heat waves and excessive radiation, while also reducing water stress. While shade would normally reduce photosynthesis, our intelligent software enables us to choose the best moments for the crop to receive sunlight,” said Kasriel.
At one of the pilot vineyards in the Vaucluse, the yields increased by 30 percent, regardless of whether or not they were irrigated. The plots covered by the agrivoltaic panels also had increased humidity, reducing the need to irrigate.
Is This Financially Sustainable?
The economics of the projects depend on energy prices, the location of solar power facilities and the sunlight needs of the crops.
“In France, the agrivoltaics plant is financially viable by itself in the Mediterranean area,” said Kasriel. “The investor of the facility—usually the farmer himself, or a fund or an independent power producer—gets a positive return on investment.”
Sun’Agri does private research but also works with public institutions, receiving support from the government as it looks for new ways to transition to farming practices that consume less resources and produce reliable crops. The group is not only studying wine grapes; it also has projects with a wide variety of fruits, vegetables and grains.
