6 items when handling agrivoltaic projects in the PVSyst manual

Table of Contents

• Key points to keep in mind before reading the PVSyst manual for agrivoltaic projects

• Item 1: Separate and organize the objectives of agricultural land use and power generation design

• Item 2: Consider mounting height, row spacing, and tilt angle together with the crop environment

• Item 3: Confirm the treatment of shadows from both nearby shading and solar radiation conditions

• Item 4: Do not confuse meteorological data with farming conditions

• Item 5: Interpreting Loss Settings and Power Generation Results Based on Farmland-Specific Assumptions

• Item 6: Arrange the report output into a format that can be used as explanatory materials

• Precautions when using PVSyst for agrivoltaic projects

• Summary

Key points to keep in mind before reading the PVSyst manual for agrivoltaic projects

The first thing to understand when dealing with agrivoltaic projects in the PVSyst manual is that the axes of consideration differ from those for conventional ground-mounted solar power systems. In typical solar PV design, the primary objectives are to maximize energy production, minimize losses, and optimize the combination of installed capacity and power conditioners. However, for agrivoltaic projects, in addition to those, you must also consider continued use of the land as farmland, solar irradiance on crops, ease of agricultural work, space under the racking, regional conditions, and the clarity of explanatory materials.

PVSyst is software used for the design, simulation, energy yield assessment, and report generation of photovoltaic power systems. A notable feature is that within a project you can set azimuth and tilt, system configuration, and equipment conditions, and compare multiple simulations. The official documentation also explains that within a project you can define azimuth, installation method, modules, inverters, and other elements, and handle multiple simulations.

In agrivoltaic projects, it is not sufficient to use this function simply as a "tool for calculating power generation." Rather, it is important to organize which assumptions to input, which results to read, and which parts to explain to stakeholders in order to make both agricultural land use and the power generation business viable. When reading the PVSyst manual, you should not just follow the on‑screen operations; you need to interpret them in terms of the considerations specific to agrivoltaic projects.

What is particularly important is that PVSyst’s simulation results do not “directly guarantee crop growth.” PVSyst is a tool for evaluating the photovoltaic system’s energy production, losses, shading, and system configuration. Crop-specific growth conditions, agricultural yield assessments, and the validity of farming plans required for agrivoltaic projects require separate agricultural consideration. In other words, PVSyst’s role is not to judge the farming plan itself, but to quantitatively clarify what kinds of irradiance and shading conditions the power generation equipment will create.

If you proceed without understanding this difference, you may look only at the power generation figures and conclude “there’s no problem,” or conversely decide on equipment placement without sufficiently reflecting the constraints on the crops. In agrivoltaic projects, it is important to be able to explain not only the power generation figures but also why that layout was chosen, why that row spacing was used, and why that tilt angle was selected. In that sense, the PVSyst manual can be used not only as a reference for operating procedures but also as a checklist for organizing design assumptions.

Item 1: Separate and organize the objectives of farmland use and power generation design

The first thing to confirm in agrivoltaic projects is to separate and clarify the purpose of land use for farming and the purpose of the power generation design. In typical photovoltaic projects, the design aims to generate power as efficiently as possible based on factors such as the shape of the land, orientation, slope, surrounding shading, equipment capacity, and grid interconnection conditions. However, in agrivoltaic cases the land is not merely an installation site but a place where agriculture will continue; therefore, the layout of power generation equipment cannot ignore its impacts on farm work and crop environments.

In PVSyst, you enter project settings, orientation settings, system settings, shading settings, loss settings, and so on in sequence. These may at first appear to be settings for power generation, but in agrivoltaic projects each one is also related to agricultural land use. For example, orientation and tilt affect energy production, and at the same time they relate to the times of day when sunlight reaches beneath the racking and to the movement of shadows. Row spacing is a condition for reducing shading between generation units and, at the same time, affects farm work pathways and the feasibility of mechanized operations.

What is important here is to organize the project's priorities before entering data into PVSyst. You need to be clear about how much you prioritize power generation, how much space for farm work you will secure, to what extent you will consider solar radiation on the crops, and how heavily you will weigh the surrounding environment and accountability. If these remain vague, it will be difficult to judge from the simulation results whether the design is good or bad.

In PVSyst, you can compare multiple simulations within the same project by varying the conditions. The official documentation also explains that you can run and compare different simulations within the framework of a project. For agrivoltaic projects, this comparison feature is extremely important. For example, widening the row spacing may slightly reduce energy production, but it can improve the ease of farm operations and the solar irradiation conditions at ground level. Changing the tilt angle affects not only the annual energy production but also the seasonal pattern of shading.

Therefore, when reading the PVSyst manual, it is important to read it not only from the perspective of "which button to press" but also from the perspective of "which conditions to use as the basis for comparison." In agrivoltaic projects, rather than seeking a single optimal solution, it is more realistic to compare multiple design proposals and find a balance that stakeholders can agree on. Because power producers, farmers, designers, contractors, and those responsible for explaining the project to authorities each have different perspectives, organizing comparable conditions is indispensable.

Also, in agrivoltaic projects, a plan that maximizes equipment capacity is not necessarily optimal. Because continued use of the land as farmland is a premise, crop types, cultivation methods, frequency of agricultural work, access and maintenance aisles, machinery height, irrigation and pest-control methods, and so on must also be included as design assumptions. PVSyst is not a tool that directly evaluates all of these factors, but it is useful for organizing the conditions on the power generation equipment side and for comparing changes in shading and power generation.

Item 2: Coordinate rack height, row spacing, and tilt angle with the crop environment

In agrivoltaic projects, the next important considerations are mounting height, row spacing, and tilt angle. These are elements related to installation conditions and shading in PVSyst, but in agrivoltaics they are also factors that determine the farmland environment itself. If the mounting height is too low, agricultural work becomes difficult, affecting machinery access and workers’ postures. If row spacing is too narrow, power generation efficiency may appear higher, but there can be issues with solar radiation and ventilation at the ground surface, as well as with work flow.

When considering agrivoltaic projects in PVSyst, you must first decide how to model the installation layout. Whether it is a fixed-tilt, an east–west arrangement, or a tracker-like approach, and how closely you reproduce the rows’ height and width, will affect the simulation results. PVSyst’s documentation outlines the workflow of defining orientation (azimuth), mounting type, and system configuration to run simulations, and racking conditions serve as the basic assumptions for energy yield assessment.

In agrivoltaic projects, it is important not to treat mounting height as a mere dimension but to view it in relation to the crops and operations. The required space changes depending on whether you are growing tall crops or low crops, and whether work is primarily manual or relies on agricultural machinery. While PVSyst cannot evaluate the movement paths of agricultural machinery, comparing multiple options with different mounting heights and row spacings makes it easier to explain the trade-off between power generation and securing space.

Row spacing is also important. In conventional solar power generation, row spacing is mainly considered to reduce the impact of shadows from the front row falling on the rear row. In agrivoltaics, in addition to that, factors such as the amount and duration of light reaching the ground surface, access paths for agricultural work, and the safety of management operations are also involved. Widening the row spacing may reduce installed capacity, but it suppresses concentrated shading and makes it easier to secure space for farm work. On the other hand, narrowing the row spacing increases the density of power generation equipment, but the impacts on crops and farm operations must be checked more carefully.

Regarding the tilt angle, it is risky to judge solely by annual power generation. If the tilt angle changes, seasonal generation and how shadows fall will change. In agrivoltaic systems, it is important whether the crop growing period overlaps with times when shadows occur. For example, even if an angle is advantageous for power generation, if it casts strong shadows on crops during certain seasons or times of day, it may be difficult to adopt it as is.

When reviewing PVSyst results, it is important not only to look at the annual energy production but also at monthly energy production, the breakdown of losses, and trends in shading losses. In PVSyst simulations, monthly and detailed time-step values are saved in the result files and can be used in tables, graphs, and reports. Therefore, for agrivoltaic projects, examining monthly trends that correspond to crop growing seasons, rather than relying solely on annual values, enables more practical decision-making.

Item 3: Check the handling of shadows from both nearby shading and solar radiation conditions

When reading the PVSyst manual for agrivoltaic projects, the aspect you should pay particular attention to is the handling of shading. In agrivoltaic solar systems, because the solar panels are installed above farmland, shading is both an element to be avoided and an aspect that relates to the project’s design philosophy. While certain crops may assume a degree of shading, excessive or uneven shading can potentially affect growth and yield.

In PVSyst, configuring near shading is important for handling shadows. The official documentation describes near shading as surrounding objects casting visible shadows on the PV array, and it states that processing near shading requires a detailed 3D description that includes the PV system and the surrounding environment. In agrivoltaic projects, shading elements include not only shadows between solar panels but also support posts, mounting structures, nearby buildings, and, in some cases, agricultural facilities and windbreak installations.

However, shading analysis in PVSyst is basically intended to evaluate shading losses on the power generation equipment. It does not directly determine, from an agronomic perspective, the solar irradiance reaching crops. Therefore, when checking shading conditions in PVSyst, you need to separate the assessment of power generation losses from the materials used to explain conditions at the ground surface or for crops. It is important not to confuse the shading information obtained from PVSyst with agricultural decision-making 자료.

Creating 3D scenes for near shading is one of the more challenging tasks in PVSyst. The official documentation also regards near shading as one of the difficult parts of PVSyst and provides tutorials on defining and using 3D scenes. In agrivoltaic projects, racking layouts tend to become complex, and a simple planar layout alone may not adequately explain shading patterns. Therefore, it is necessary to refer to the manual and decide how detailed the 3D scene should be.

When checking shadows, do not look only at the annual total loss; pay attention to the seasonal movement of shadows. Crops have critical growth periods. It is important in explaining agrivoltaic projects to understand at what times of day and to what extent shadows occur during periods such as sowing, transplanting, flowering, fruit set, and harvesting. Because PVSyst’s standard energy generation report cannot provide crop-specific evaluations, it is necessary to supplement with additional materials as needed.

In agrivoltaic projects, eliminating shadows is not the only correct approach. Depending on the agricultural plan, there may be cases where avoiding excessively strong direct sunlight is desirable, or where a certain amount of shading is acceptable. However, even in such cases, if you cannot explain how much shading will occur, where it will occur, and at what times, it becomes difficult to demonstrate the validity of the design. PVSyst is used to quantitatively organize shading losses on the power generation side, and in practice the key point is to evaluate those results together with the agricultural side’s expertise.

Item 4: Do Not Confuse Meteorological Data with Farming Conditions

When dealing with agrivoltaic projects in the PVSyst manual, understanding meteorological data is also essential. In solar power simulations, meteorological conditions such as solar irradiance, ambient temperature, and wind speed greatly affect the amount of electricity generated. PVSyst calculates generation based on site information and meteorological data, but for agrivoltaic projects it is important not to confuse this meteorological data with the agricultural conditions themselves.

The solar irradiance used in power generation simulations is an assumption for evaluating the energy incident on photovoltaic systems. On the other hand, crop growth depends on many factors in addition to the amount of light, including temperature, humidity, soil moisture, air circulation, cultivation management, variety, fertilization, pests and diseases, and local cultivation practices. Setting irradiance conditions in PVSyst does not mean that all conditions affecting crop growth have been evaluated.

If this point is misunderstood, the simulation results can be used incorrectly. For example, even if you choose a proposal with high power generation, poor ventilation under the mounting structure or poor workability could leave it problematic as an agrivoltaic system. Conversely, a proposal with slightly lower power generation may be more suitable overall when considering the continuity of farmland use and ease of operations. In agrivoltaic projects, it is important to treat PVSyst results as one part of the agricultural conditions.

Recent studies on agrivoltaics have pointed out that shadows cast by PV installations reduce the solar radiation reaching the ground and crops and create gradients in the local environment, and that models in the PV and agricultural fields are diverse and lack standard benchmarks. In light of this background, rather than judging all agrivoltaic projects solely with PVSyst, it is necessary to combine simulations on the power-generation side with assessments on the agricultural side.

When handling meteorological data, check whether the data are from a location close to the target site, whether there are no significant differences in topography or the surrounding environment, and whether the data are reasonable as long-term averages. In mountainous areas, coastal areas, snow-prone regions, foggy regions, and high-temperature regions, solar radiation and temperature conditions can vary greatly even within the same prefecture. In farm-based projects, because farmers often know the local climate well, it is also useful to verify that the meteorological data used in simulations do not differ significantly from on-site experience.

Also, the selection of meteorological data is important as documentation. When stakeholders ask, "What weather conditions does this power generation assume?", you need to be able to explain the rationale behind the data you used. When reading the PVSyst manual, it is important to be conscious not only of how to import and select meteorological data but also to record why you used that data.

Section 5: Interpreting Loss Settings and Power Generation Results Based on Farmland-Specific Assumptions

When using PVSyst for agrivoltaic projects, loss settings and how to read the energy yield results are extremely important. PVSyst reports display various loss factors such as solar irradiance, temperature, shading, mismatch, wiring, inverter, and system constraints. In conventional PV projects, these are used to check the plausibility of the energy yield and to identify improvements in equipment design. The same fundamentals apply to agrivoltaic projects, but the meaning of each loss needs to be interpreted in light of farmland-specific assumptions.

For example, when shading losses are large, they may appear to be an element that should be improved from the perspective of power generation. However, in agrivoltaic projects, the occurrence of shading itself can sometimes be unavoidable by design. The important thing is not to reduce shading losses to zero, but to be able to explain how those shades are the result of deliberate design intent and how they are balanced against agricultural land use. Widening the spacing between rows may reduce shading losses, but it can also reduce installed capacity. Conversely, increasing equipment density may increase power generation, but it may have a greater impact on crops and farm operations.

Temperature losses are also a point that should be checked. In agrivoltaic systems, the thermal environment can differ from that of typical ground-mounted systems due to ventilation under the racking, ground surface conditions, and the influence of crops and soil. In PVSyst, power generation is evaluated through temperature models and loss settings, but it cannot fully reproduce the actual farmland environment. Therefore, even when using standard settings as-is, it is desirable to be able to explain why those settings were chosen.

When considering bifacial PV modules in agrivoltaic projects, attention must be paid to ground surface reflectance, row spacing, and the effects of the racking structure. The official PVSyst documentation proposes models for bifacial systems according to installation configurations and explains that pitch, row width, number of rows, ground surface conditions, and related factors are involved. Also, the bifacial system procedure indicates that values such as pitch, row width, and number of rows are suggested based on the system layout and can be manually overridden when necessary.

In agrivoltaic projects, the ground surface can vary greatly from case to case—soil, grass, crops, mulch, weed-control sheets, and so on. These can affect reflectivity and the thermal environment, and they also change with the seasons and cultivation conditions. Therefore, in bifacial power generation simulations it is important not to set input values overly optimistically. In particular, if the condition of the farmland varies seasonally, you need to consider whether it is acceptable to assume the same conditions year-round or whether you should adopt more conservative assumptions.

When reviewing generation results, pay attention not only to annual energy production, specific yield, performance ratio, and the loss diagram, but also to the monthly results. In agrivoltaic systems, busy farming seasons and crops’ critical growth stages can coincide with seasonal variations in energy production and shading losses. Even if annual values make the issue appear minor, if shading impacts are concentrated in particular months that becomes an important point to address with the agricultural stakeholders. Because PVSyst’s simulation results can provide monthly and detailed time-step outputs, it is practical to perform period-specific checks as needed.

Item 6: Format report output so it can be used as explanatory materials

In agrivoltaic projects, it is important to prepare PVSyst report outputs not merely as calculation results but as materials that can be used to explain the project to stakeholders. Not only power generation operators but also farmers, landowners, government agencies, financial institutions, construction companies, and maintenance personnel may review the documents. Therefore, the materials should present not only the generation figures but also the assumptions, design intent, comparison scenarios, and key considerations.

PVSyst's official documentation explains that after running a simulation you can open the results screen to review the report and detailed results. For agrivoltaic projects, it is practically useful not to submit this report as-is but to add supplementary explanations. PVSyst's report is useful as technical documentation for the power-generation side, but an overall explanation of an agrivoltaic project also requires agricultural information and design guidelines.

The first thing to organize is the input conditions. Make the location, meteorological data, module, inverter, installed capacity, azimuth, tilt angle, row spacing, racking conditions, shading settings, loss settings, etc. available so that stakeholders can follow them. In particular, for agrivoltaic (farming-type) projects, people are likely to ask why you chose that row spacing, that height, or that tilt angle, so it is important to record not only the numerical values but also the reasons.

Next, devise ways to present the comparison options. In agrivoltaic projects, you may compare multiple options such as the maximum power generation option, the farm-workability–focused option, the shade-impact mitigation option, and the equipment-capacity–restricted option. If you performed multiple simulations in PVSyst, organize the conditions and results for each and explain which option will be adopted. Even if the adopted option does not maximize power generation, it will be easier to explain if the reasons for prioritizing farmland use and workability are clear.

Also, PVSyst reports contain many technical terms. Terms such as performance ratio, loss diagram, irradiation loss, temperature loss, shading loss, and mismatch loss may be easy for PV system designers to understand but difficult for farmers and landowners. Therefore, it is a good idea to prepare supplementary materials that explain technical terms in plain language as needed. For example, shading loss can be explained as "the effect of reduced power generation due to shadows on the panels", and temperature loss can be explained as "the effect of reduced generation efficiency due to increased panel temperature".

In agrivoltaic projects, it is also important to separate in the report "what PVSyst can determine" from "what cannot be judged by PVSyst alone." What PVSyst can determine includes energy production, losses, the impact of shading, and the validity of the system configuration based on the assumptions set. On the other hand, crop yields, continuity of farming operations, the viability of farm management, and impacts on local agriculture require separate consideration. Clarifying this boundary helps prevent excessive expectations or misunderstandings about the simulation results.

Points to Note When Using PVSyst for Agrivoltaic Projects

When using PVSyst for agrivoltaic projects, there are several points to keep in mind. First, preserve the basis for your input values. In photovoltaic simulations, results can change with even small variations in input values. In agrivoltaic projects, because of the additional relationships with farmland conditions and crop conditions, it is important to record why those values were adopted.

Next, do not over-rely on the results of PVSyst. PVSyst is effective software for assessing power generation, but it does not determine everything about agrivoltaic projects. In particular, for crop growth and yields, agricultural expertise, local conditions, past cultivation records, and confirmation by specialists are necessary. PVSyst simulations should be regarded primarily as an important input for organizing the conditions related to the power generation equipment.

Also, when checking shadows, it is important to separate the perspectives of the power generation side and the farmland side. PVSyst can evaluate power generation losses on PV arrays due to shading, but it does not directly assess the distribution of light reaching crops from an agronomic perspective. In agrivoltaic projects, after visualizing shadows and explaining their impact on power generation, it is realistic to combine crop-side evaluations with separate documentation and on-site studies.

Furthermore, it is important to develop comparative options. In agrivoltaic projects, rather than drawing conclusions from the initial proposal alone, comparing options that vary row spacing, tilt angle, installed capacity, and racking conditions makes the design decisions more persuasive. Leverage PVSyst’s ability to compare multiple conditions within a project to explain the balance between power generation and farmland use.

Finally, be mindful of the report's readers. For engineers, detailed loss diagrams and condition tables are important, but for farmers and landowners, materials that clearly explain the design rationale and considerations for farmland use may be more useful. In agrivoltaic projects, both technical accuracy and clarity of explanation are required.

Summary

When dealing with agrivoltaic projects in the PVSyst manual, it is important not to pursue only energy yield with the same mindset as conventional solar PV projects, but to interpret the settings while considering both agricultural land use and power generation design. In agrivoltaic projects, rack height, row spacing, tilt angle, shading, meteorological data, loss settings, and report outputs all affect not only energy yield but also explanations of farm operations and crop environments.

What's particularly important is to distinguish between what can be determined by PVSyst and what cannot be judged by PVSyst alone. PVSyst is useful for estimating power generation, losses, the effects of shading, and comparing system configurations. On the other hand, crop growth, farm management, yields, and the viability of continuing agricultural operations require specialized assessment from the agricultural side. By clarifying this division of roles, it becomes easier to apply simulation results in practice.

In agrivoltaic projects, it is important not only to aim to maximize power generation but to design so that the land can continue to be used as farmland. To that end, multiple proposals should be compared, balancing power generation, shading, ease of farm operations, and accountability. When reading the PVSyst manual, it is helpful to use it not merely as an operational manual but as a guide to organize design assumptions and to prepare materials that can be explained to stakeholders.

The key to mastering PVSyst for agrivoltaic projects is not just improving the accuracy of power generation simulations. It is about designing the entire workflow—on the premise of agricultural land use—of which conditions to input, which results to check, and how to explain them. By sequentially reviewing six items, you can interpret PVSyst results more practically and make them easier to use as study materials for agrivoltaic solar power projects.