Agrivoltaics Could Transform UK Solar Expansion Without Taking Land Away from Farmers

University of Sheffield research suggests combining farming and solar power could generate four times Britain's electricity demand

A new study suggests the UK could dramatically expand renewable energy generation without reducing food production, by adopting an emerging technology that allows solar panels and agriculture to coexist on the same land.

Researchers at the University of Sheffield have found that agrivoltaics—the practice of integrating solar photovoltaic panels with farming—has the potential to generate enough electricity to exceed the UK's current annual demand by more than four times, while allowing crops and livestock production to continue beneath or between the panels.

The findings offer an alternative to conventional solar farms, which have increasingly faced opposition over concerns that valuable farmland is being taken out of food production.

A dual-purpose approach to land use

Rather than dedicating land solely to energy generation, agrivoltaic systems are designed so that farming activities continue alongside renewable electricity production.

Solar panels are mounted at heights or arranged in configurations that enable crops to grow beneath them or livestock to graze between the arrays, allowing landowners to produce both food and clean energy from the same fields.

The research concludes that this dual-use approach could enable the UK to achieve its ambitious solar deployment targets while reducing pressure on agricultural land.

Ideal locations identified across eastern England

The study identifies several regions where agrivoltaics could be particularly effective.

Areas including Cambridgeshire, Essex and Lincolnshire, together with much of eastern and south-eastern England, were highlighted due to a combination of relatively flat landscapes, strong solar resource, existing agricultural activity and access to electricity grid infrastructure.

These characteristics make them well suited to supporting both farming and large-scale renewable energy generation.

Addressing growing concerns over solar developments

The Government has committed to significantly increasing solar capacity as part of its wider strategy to achieve net zero emissions by 2050.

However, proposals for large ground-mounted solar farms have often attracted criticism from farmers, rural communities and campaign groups concerned about the loss of productive farmland, food security and changes to the rural landscape.

Researchers believe agrivoltaics could help ease many of those concerns by demonstrating that agricultural productivity and renewable energy development do not have to compete for the same land.

Lessons from international projects

The concept has already been successfully implemented in several countries, including parts of mainland Europe and Scandinavia.

Previous research led by the University of Sheffield in Kenya and Tanzania also demonstrated wider environmental benefits beyond electricity generation.

Field trials found that crops including maize, beans and Swiss chard performed well beneath the partial shade created by solar panels. The reduced exposure to direct sunlight helped limit water evaporation, while rainwater collected from the panels provided an additional source of irrigation.

Alongside generating renewable electricity, the systems improved water efficiency and increased crop yields in regions particularly vulnerable to climate change.

Researchers call for UK field trials

Professor Sue Hartley, Vice-President for Research and Innovation at the University of Sheffield and co-author of the study, said agrivoltaics presents an opportunity to overcome one of the biggest challenges facing renewable energy expansion.

She said the technology allows land to deliver both food production and clean electricity at a time when concerns around food security, climate change and geopolitical uncertainty continue to grow.

Professor Hartley also noted that although agrivoltaics is already widely used in several countries, the UK has yet to embrace the technology despite having suitable conditions for deployment.

Next step is testing under UK conditions

Co-author Dr Richard Randle-Boggis, now a research scientist at Norwegian research organisation SINTEF, said practical field trials should now become the priority.

He believes further research is needed to determine which panel designs, crop combinations and agricultural practices perform best under British conditions, while also exploring how local communities view this form of development.

According to the researchers, demonstrating that renewable energy infrastructure can coexist with productive farmland could play an important role in improving public acceptance of future solar projects.

As the UK seeks to expand low-carbon electricity generation while protecting domestic food production, the study suggests agrivoltaics may offer a practical route to achieving both objectives without forcing a choice between farming and clean energy.