Researchers in Mollerussa, Lleida, are testing agrivoltaics, installing solar panels over apple orchards, while Aigües del Segarra-Garrigues (ASG) has pioneered floating solar farms on irrigation ponds. These projects aim to show how agricultural production and solar energy generation can coexist, addressing concerns from farmers about losing fertile land to renewable energy installations.
Catalonia plans for over half its energy consumption to come from renewable sources by 2030. These initiatives in Lleida are part of a broader effort to meet this target without compromising the region's agricultural sector.
Agrivoltaics in Mollerussa
The Institute of Agrifood Research and Technology (IRTA) started Catalonia's first pilot project for photovoltaic energy in fruit trees three years ago in Mollerussa. The five-year plan studies how the shade from solar panels, installed at a height of nearly five metres, affects the production of Golden and Gala apple varieties.
Early observations show some benefits, such as reduced water consumption for the trees and better protection from adverse weather. However, researchers also noted a production drop of around 25%. Luis Asín, an IRTA researcher, said that despite lower yields, production "remains profitable" when considering the added income from energy generation. He added that "the general message is that the music sounds good."
The Golden apple variety appears to adapt better to agrivoltaics, as the panels help prevent sun damage to the fruit's skin. The Gala variety, however, showed some loss of colour. Asín highlighted that combining agricultural and solar energy production is a key advantage of agrivoltaics, calling it a strategy that "can be part of the solution."
Floating Solar Farms on Irrigation Ponds
Aigües Segarra-Garrigues (ASG), which manages the Segarra-Garrigues canal, has installed floating solar farms on irrigation ponds. This approach supports self-consumption and avoids using valuable farmland. Jordi Sala, ASG's Director of Operations and Maintenance, said a park with 2,800 solar panels has been installed on an irrigation pond in Alfés, Segrià. This installation will produce energy equivalent to the annual consumption of 700 homes.
ASG is also working on a similar aquatic installation in Alcanó, Segrià. They expect to have these two facilities and a third in Oliola, Noguera, operational before the end of the year. By 2028, ASG plans to add three more solar plants. Electricity for pumping water to farms is the canal's main expense, and these measures aim to reduce reliance on electricity prices and prevent system failures, such as the April 2025 blackout. In the long term, this could also help lower water prices.
Sala noted that, besides using existing space, another benefit of the floating panels is that they block solar radiation from reaching the water. This minimises evaporation, prevents algae growth, and keeps the water at a lower temperature than it would be without the panels.
