Farming the Sun: How Agri-PV Can Support Irish Farms and Biodiversity
By Dawn Keegan & Priscila Mc Geehan
What if solar panels could do more than generate clean electricity?
What if they could also protect Ireland’s biodiversity, support family farms, and help our land cope with droughts, floods, and changing seasons?
That’s the potential of agri-PV (short for agricultural photovoltaics) a land use model that brings energy generation and farming together, instead of forcing a choice between the two.
In this blog series, we’ll explore how agri-PV, when designed with nature in mind, can become a valuable tool for both climate action and rural resilience.
What is Agri-PV?
Agri-PV involves the dual use of farmland: producing solar electricity while continuing to farm the land. That could mean sheep grazing beneath solar arrays, wildflowers supporting pollinators, or even crops growing under elevated panels.
At its best, agri-PV enhances existing agricultural use. Unlike large-scale solar farms that typically remove land from production, agri-PV aims to create synergies between solar and farming, allowing the land to remain productive and ecologically active.
Depending on the setup, benefits may include:
- Reduced water loss from soil
- Better grass quality and shelter for livestock
- Enhanced carbon storage and soil structure
- New income streams for farmers
- Creation of new habitats for birds, bees, and insects
- Reduced pressure on biodiversity from intensive monoculture
Why Biodiversity Belongs in the Solar Conversation
Ireland’s biodiversity is under threat. Over 60% of our native species are in decline, and one-third are at risk of
extinction, according to the National Biodiversity Action Plan.
Farming and land use decisions are at the heart of this challenge—but they can also be part of the solution. Agri-PV, when designed with biodiversity in mind, can:
- Create and connect habitats, particularly in intensively farmed areas
- Support pollinators, essential for crops and food security
- Enable regenerative practices, including native grasslands and mixed species swards
- Buffer sensitive areas, such as rivers, wetlands or hedgerows
In short: solar fields can become biodiversity fields, too.
This is where intentionality matters. Solar developments that include wildflower seeding, low-impact construction, integrated grazing, and native species planting can help reverse some of the pressures on Irish ecosystems.
Why Now?
Agri-PV isn’t a future concept; it’s here and already being successful across Europe, from vineyards in France to vegetable farms in Italy and livestock systems in Germany. Countries like the Netherlands and Austria are setting dedicated Agri-PV targets and funding innovation in the space.
In Ireland, we’re just getting started.
Solar is scaling faster than expected. As of mid-2025, Ireland had:
- Over 877 MW of large solar farm capacity
- A 70% year-on-year increase in utility-scale solar generation
- Over 140,000 microgeneration connections and counting
But growth brings questions:
- Where will solar sit in Ireland’s agri-food model?
- How do we ensure the transition is just, sustainable, and nature-positive?
- Can solar farms also be sites of restoration, not just energy?
What to Expect from this Series
This blog is the first in a new series co-authored by Solar Ireland and Power Capital Renewable Energy. Each post will explore the interface between agri-PV and nature, through five key lenses:
- Water: How solar can help farms retain water, reduce runoff, and build climate resilience
- Soil: What solar means for soil health, erosion, and regenerative practices
- Animals & Biodiversity: Designing solar for pollinators, grazing, and wildlife
- Emissions: The carbon case — how agri-PV helps decarbonise both energy and farming
- Wrap-up: An end-of-year reflection on lessons learned and what's next for Ireland
We’ll draw on examples from Ireland and beyond, and feature farmers, experts, and solar developers working on the ground.
Join the Conversation
We want this to be more than just a blog series; we want it to spark ideas and action.
Whether you’re a farmer, policymaker, investor, or community leader, we invite you to be part of this journey.
Have a story to share? Interested in a case study or field visit? Get in touch with us or follow the conversation on Solar Ireland’s channels.
Let’s make space for energy and nature, side by side.