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Agrivoltaics, from concept to reality

Akuo launched its first project in agrivoltaics (initially called Agrinergy) in 2007 on the island of Reunion. Like many island territories, land use is primarily allocated to agricultural production to meet the food needs of local populations. What initially constituted a constraint for the installation of photovoltaic panels would ultimately become a vector of innovation: Akuo thought of coupling agricultural and solar production on the same land by creating positive synergies for both. A new model was born!

The first plant based on this model to emerge on the island was that of Pierrefonds, inaugurated in 2010. Since then, more than 20 projects of this type have emerged within the Akuo Group, in Réunion, New Caledonia and continental France, with a total installed capacity of more than 150 MWp.

Agrivoltaïsme

The Akuo model: technology benefiting farmers

Agrivoltaic shade houses, anticyclonic photovoltaic greenhouses, trackers, water management system... The technological solutions have been refined and adapt to the needs of farmers, the crops and the specific operating conditions of the site. Akuo can count on its partner agricultural consulting firm Agriterra, which ensures that the technology used meets optimized sunshine and water supply conditions, while protecting crops from climatic variations. This also applies to breeding farms, protected from predators and heat.

Making agriculture climate-resilient

Climate change is subjecting agriculture to strong pressures: degraded soils, droughts, hailstorms, etc., all of which jeopardize farmers' ability to feed societies. Akuo's new agrivoltaic practices make it possible to address each of these new phenomena and thus reduce the risks of yield loss.

L’indépendance énergétique

Agrivoltaics: combining the agricultural and energy transitions

Over 20

Agrivoltaic projects under construction and in operation around the world

Over 150

MW

Solar capacity (2022)

Enabling a sustainable agricultural transition

The agrivoltaics model promoted by Akuo preserves the agricultural yields of the plot, while creating additional value related to energy production. In addition to optimizing the space generated, the financial flows generated by the marketing of electricity make it possible to support and diversify the agricultural activity carried out on the site. And, in some cases, to make it competitive, to facilitate the transition to a sustainable and agroecological production model, or to give an economic boost to the farm by creating local jobs

Un concept, plusieurs techniques & solutions

Agrivoltaics according to Akuo

Farmers at the center of the project

By putting farmers at the heart of the project and by offering training and support throughout the partnership, Akuo guarantees that farmers will keep control of their production while being financially supported, so that they can invest and absorb climate variations and the volatility of agricultural production prices. This is a fair return for the agricultural world.

agriculteur_au_centre_du_projet

Continuous innovation

Since its invention, Akuo has constantly developed the concept of agrivoltaics in order to offer ever more efficient and sustainable solutions. First-generation agrivoltaics combines agriculture and green electricity production via photovoltaic plants on the ground. Crops are interspersed between rows of solar panels. The second generation is based on the superposition of agricultural and solar production, by setting up anticyclonic photovoltaic greenhouses. The third generation combines an electricity storage system with the power plant, allowing optimal use of all the energy produced.

grande_culture

Facilitating the transition to agroecology

Each project is designed in a global and sustainable way. Value creation is oriented towards the agricultural transition by implementing resilient and, if possible, organic and water-efficient practices. By promoting the complementarity of species, the soil remains cultivable and is continuously enriched.

les cèdres

Water management

Photovoltaic structures significantly reduce water consumption by limiting the evapotranspiration phenomenon. Designed to save this resource, some photovoltaic structures can also collect rainwater, direct it to a dedicated water storage infrastructure, and then redistribute it to crops in an optimized way via drip or micro-sprinkler systems, depending on the crop.

gestion_de_l_eau

An array of technologies

Reconciling agriculture and electricity production must not create constraints for either of the activities. It is therefore necessary to identify which technology will best adapt to ensure that agricultural and energy production are mutually strengthened. To do this, each photovoltaic system is designed to benefit both productions. More than just photovoltaic panels, some power plants are real production tools that adapt to climate conditions in real time.

techno

Generate citizen engagement

Agrivoltaics is a great opportunity to create strong links with the host territory: training, local job creation, sustainable and local food production are all rhizomes that benefit the community.

adhesion_citoyenne

Agrinergie: important dates

Création d'agrienergie

2007

Agrinergie was created
Agri2011

2011

1st generation Agrinergie
 Agrinergie et stockage : Bardzour

2014

Agrinergie and storage: Bardzour
Agrinergie 2e génération

2016

2nd generation Agrinergie
Création du fonds MAIF Transition

2019

Creation of the MAIF Transition Fund
Abbaye de Gaussan

2021

Abbaye de Gaussan

The Gaussan Abbey: seed democratization hub

Located near Narbonne, the Gaussan Abbey project is part of the process to rehabilitate this former Cistercian abbey, a marker of our history and our ancestral know-how, to make it a real territory of experimentation for rational and sustainable lifestyles, production and consumption for tomorrow.

In May 2022, the place was endowed with a conservatory of ancient seeds, mainly cereals but also vegetable and arboreal varieties. These seeds have been selected on the basis of healthy nutrition (high nutritional quality) and resilience to climatic variations thanks to the know-how of Roland Feuillas, an engineer who has converted to milling and baking. The conservatory, a real agronomic experimentation station, makes it possible to explore these ancient seeds’ resistance to climate change, so they can eventually be offered to farmers who would like them.

This iconic project led by Akuo and Agriterra is the embodiment of their commitment to go beyond the simple production of solar electricity by activating initiatives combining agriculture and energy, so as to guarantee both food biodiversity and energy independence.

L'abbaye de Gaussan
Agriterra
LOGO_AGRITERRA_GROUP_HORIZONTAL

Agriterra, Akuo's exclusive agricultural partner

Agriterra came into being with Pierrefonds' first agrivoltaic project. The design office has since developed expertise in setting up and supporting this type of project in France and abroad. A farmer on 80 hectares, Agriterra was able to test the different photovoltaic systems on multiple crops (vegetables, arboriculture, cereals, aquaculture, livestock) in temperate and tropical climates. 

Today, Agriterra is Akuo's exclusive agricultural partner for all stages of an agrivoltaic project: from modelling the agricultural project alongside the farmer to the field management of yields.

 

 

MAIF Transition

Financing solution for the agricultural and energy transition

Created in 2019 by the MAIF insurance company, Akuo and Agriterra, MAIF Transition is a financing solution designed for dozens of agricultural and renewable energy projects across France. The solution meets the needs of project initiators:

  • Land ownership loans : make it easier to buy farm land by acquiring land and making it available through 25-year rural environmental leases.
  • Installation or diversification : undertake the necessary investments for installation or diversification projects (irrigation, agroecology to reverse soil degradation, etc.)
  • Agrivoltaics : examine, with Akuo and Agriterra, the possible implementation of an agrivoltaic project along with an agricultural project on part of the land.
Maif Transition

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