Agrivoltaic project development in Italy
An agrivoltaic project is permitted when energy and farming truly work together. We pair you with developers who know how to design one, from greenfield to RTB, under co-development milestones.
What is being developed
Agrivoltaics, or agri-PV (agrivoltaico, sometimes agrovoltaico, in Italian), is a solar plant on farmland that lets cultivation or grazing continue. Italian law defines it in the consolidated renewables act (Legislative Decree 190/2024): the plant must preserve the continuity of agricultural and pastoral activity on the site.
For a developer this changes a great deal. On agricultural land, ground-mounted PV is allowed only in certain areas; agrivoltaics follows its own rules, but in exchange it requires a farming project that is credible and can be verified over time.
What it takes beyond a standard solar project
An agronomic plan
An agronomist defines crops or livestock, rotations, water needs and the machinery used. The plan shows that farming continues and drives the plant design.
A layout designed around farm machinery
Module height, row spacing, trackers or fixed structures, turning strips: the plant design comes out of the agronomic plan. This is where an experienced agrivoltaic developer makes the difference.
A farm that actually farms
Someone has to work the land for the whole life of the plant: the owner, a tenant, a partner farm. The agreements with whoever farms are as much a part of development as the land agreement.
Monitoring
The ministerial guidelines on agrivoltaics set requirements and monitoring systems for agricultural output and water savings, stricter for so-called advanced agrivoltaics. They need to be planned at design stage.
The stages are the same, from greenfield to RTB
Site, land secured, grid connection, application, permit, ready-to-build: the path is that of any solar PV project, with the farming side running through every stage. If agricultural continuity fails after the permit is granted, the law provides for restoration of the site and penalties, so it pays to make it solid from the start.
For agrivoltaics too we work under milestone-based co-development: the developer is paid when the project reaches the stages agreed with the investor.
Questions on agrivoltaic development
Is there a difference between agrivoltaic, agri-PV and agrovoltaic?
No: they are different names for the same type of plant. Italian law uses «agrivoltaico».
Does an agrivoltaic developer also handle the farming side?
Yes, the developer coordinates the agronomist and the agreements with the farm, because the agronomic plan and the plant layout are designed together.
Can agrivoltaics be combined with storage?
Yes. Storage affects grid connection and permitting: see BESS project development.
Do you assess farmland offered by owners?
No. greenfield.solar works with investors and developers: the land search is carried out by the developer as part of the project.
Tell us about the project you want developed
Message us on WhatsApp or fill in the form: technology, indicative size and the Italian regions you are interested in are enough to start. From Italy you can also call toll-free.