Can Agrivoltaic Systems Provide Clean Energy Without Reducing Food Security in Nigeria?

Curated by the Research Partnership Group (RPG) of Clean Technology Hub

Written by Sayuri Moodliar, PhD (October, 2024)

Introduction

Global pressure continues to increase for the transition to clean energy generation, and solar energy projects offer a sustainable solution for renewable energy production. However, ground-mounted photovoltaic (PV) installations — especially those at utility-scale — require large areas of land which are often exclusively used for energy production. This results in competing demands with other land uses, such as agricultural use for food production.

The 2024 FAO Report on The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World indicates that the global community is not on track to achieve the sustainable development goals (SDGs) to end hunger and food insecurity or to eliminate malnutrition by 2030. Over 20 percent of the population in Africa (about 257 million people) is considered undernourished. In Nigeria, over one million additional people faced food insecurity in 2024 compared to the previous year.

Nigeria experiences a significant agricultural production deficit, and currently imports agricultural produce of US$10 billion to compensate for this. This shortfall is exacerbated by climate change, socio-political conflict, land degradation, and inefficient farming practices.

There is an urgent need to find innovative ways to increase clean energy production without significantly reducing land available for food production or adversely affecting food security for the country.

Agrivoltaics — or AgriPV — is a system where solar panels are installed over crops or livestock grazing areas, allowing farmers to generate renewable energy while still producing food. The result is that land is used more efficiently by combining agriculture and solar energy production in the same space.

This article provides an overview of some of the agrivoltaic projects that are being piloted in Sub-Saharan Africa and highlights the key factors that might make Nigeria an ideal location to introduce agrivoltaic systems to help bridge the food production gap, improve rural livelihoods, and contribute to Nigeria’s food security while also addressing the need to produce clean energy.

What is AgriPV or Agrivoltaics?

Initially, AgriPV involved raising solar modules off the ground so that the electricity harvest occurred at a higher elevation and food crops would be cultivated underneath the panels. This design was known as overhead agrivoltaics, horizontal agrivoltaics, or stilted agrivoltaics. More recently, ground-mounted vertical or slanted PV panels were installed alongside crops — and became known as interspace agrivoltaics or vertical agrivoltaics.

The term agrivoltaics may also refer to other configurations of combining solar panels with agricultural uses — such as solar roofs on greenhouses or solar-powered water pumps for irrigation. It can also include livestock grazing under or alongside solar panels, although these systems are mainly optimised for the electricity production with the agricultural use being a secondary benefit.

The dual use (agriculture and energy production) has also been extended to triple use in many pilot projects in Africa, incorporating sustainable water management as the third characteristic of the system.

Challenges and Benefits of Agrivoltaics Systems

A review of the current status of agrivoltaic systems indicates that implementing agrivoltaics in Africa presents several risks and challenges:

• The setup of agrivoltaic systems requires significant upfront investment for solar panels, mounting structures, and integration with existing agricultural practices.
• There is often competition for land between agricultural use and solar installations. Finding a balance that maximises both food production and energy generation can be difficult.
• The successful operation of the combined activities requires careful planning to avoid shading crops and ensuring compatibility between solar panels and agricultural activities.
• Ensuring the durability and efficiency of solar panels in harsh environmental conditions, such as high temperatures and dust, can be challenging. Regular maintenance is crucial but can be costly and logistically complex.
• Integrating water management solutions with agrivoltaic systems is essential, especially in arid regions. However, this adds another layer of complexity and cost.
• Inconsistent policies and regulatory frameworks across different African countries can hinder the implementation and scaling of agrivoltaic projects.
• There is a need for more awareness and technical expertise among local farmers and stakeholders to effectively implement and manage agrivoltaic systems.

Despite these challenges, the overall view is that agrivoltaic systems can be a promising solution for sustainable agriculture with proper design and management. The panels provide shade for crops, reducing evaporation and other negative effects of extreme heat, and increasing soil moisture for better growth.

There is also evidence that these systems contribute to sustainability and biodiversity. Some configurations of agrivoltaics are designed for habitat restoration and integrate native habitat enhancement. For example, prohibiting the use of herbicides and maintaining pollinator-friendly seed mixes within the solar infrastructure footprint attracts and supports native insect pollinators.

The long-term benefits and potential for diversified income streams indicate that agrivoltaic systems can be economically viable and should be explored further.

Pioneering Agrivoltaic Projects in Sub-Saharan Africa

The launch of the agrivoltaic system at the Latia Agribusiness Centre in Isinya in Kenya in 2022 was a result of a multidisciplinary project supported by the University of Sheffield and other international partners. The system, developed with local agriculture and energy experts, integrates solar electricity generation, crop production, and rainwater harvesting to optimise land use. Instead of being mounted close to the ground, the solar panels are installed several metres high, with gaps between the arrays, enabling crops to be grown underneath.

The Centre for International Forestry Research (CIFOR) in Kenya has also been pioneering agrivoltaic projects learning from the Isinya initiative. In addition to agricultural use of the energy produced, the PV panels are also able to provide clean energy to local rural communities.

Similar initiatives are underway in Tanzania that focus on combining solar energy production with agricultural activities to boost food security and provide reliable electricity to rural communities, using the shade from the solar panels to protect crops from extreme heat, enhancing their growth and reducing water requirements. A project in the Morogoro region includes rainwater harvesting and battery storage, and seeks to establish which crops produce better yields under solar panels.

In South Africa, there is a booming solar PV industry mainly driven by the private sector. With over 80% of the land area in the country receiving high solar radiation, there is significant potential for agrivoltaics to be used more extensively. In 2024, a German company started the construction of a large agri-solar plant covering an area of 30 000 m² in the rural area near Potchefstroom. A key outcome of the project is the creation of jobs and educational programs in the region.

In West Africa, agrivoltaic projects are still in the early stages but show promising potential. The APV-MaGa project, supported by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research over a three-year period, aims to explore the feasibility of agrivoltaics in hot, semi-arid conditions through PV installations in Mali and The Gambia. The technical and economic viability of an integrated triple land-use system — sustainable energy, agricultural production and water management — is being tested through these installations.

There are also new initiatives for solar-agri projects aiming to integrate solar power with agricultural practices to boost food production and energy access across Africa. These include the Scaling Solar Applications for Agriculture Use Programme of the International Solar Alliance and the United Nations Development Programme in Benin, Democratic Republic of Congo, Mali, Niger, Republic of Sudan, Senegal, South Sudan, Togo, Tuvalu, and Uganda. A pilot project of this programme will see enhanced energy access for agricultural workers and the deployment of solar water-pumping systems for sustainable irrigation.

Potential for Nigeria and the Way Forward

Nigeria, with its vast agricultural land and high solar energy potential, is well-positioned to benefit from agrivoltaics. Implementing such systems could address land competition between agriculture and solar farms, enhance food security, improve water management and expand energy access.

There are several factors that make Nigeria a good candidate for agrivoltaics:

• Solar radiation in Nigeria is abundant and there is potential for solar energy to significantly contribute to Nigeria’s energy sector
• There is huge potential for improving socio-economic conditions for rural communities and small-scale farmers — both in the form of energy access and agricultural productivity
• The potential ecosystem service benefits of agrivoltaic systems align with many of the other SDGs and progress can be achieved with regard to multiple goals under climate, energy, water management and biodiversity.
• Several projects have been piloted in Sub-Saharan Africa over the past three years and lessons learned from these initiatives can provide insights to mitigate challenges and risks.
• Training facilities have been set up in several centres on the continent and these resources can be used for the transfer of technical skills and know-how.
• There is currently increasing development and research funding being allocated for clean energy projects and the achievement of SDGs in Africa.

There are still challenges to overcome, the most notable being that a supportive policy and regulatory environment will be essential to facilitate the adoption and rollout of these systems and projects.

Conclusion

The introduction of agrivoltaics in Nigeria could address several challenges, such as the deficit in agricultural production, the lack of energy access in rural areas, and sustainable water management. By combining these uses, Nigeria can enhance food security, water access and energy access simultaneously. The success of similar projects in other Sub-Saharan African countries provides valuable lessons and warrants further exploration of the viability of agrivoltaic systems in the country.

Dr. Sayuri Moodliar is the ESG Director at Open Access Data Centres and a member of Clean Technology Hub’s Research Partnership Group. Her areas of interest are international law and governance, sustainable finance, biodiversity conservation, and using technology for the achievement of sustainability goals.