As agrivoltaics transitions from a niche innovation to the mainstream market, integrating agriculture and solar energy production remains one of the most complex challenges in the renewable energy landscape today. Even its naming convention reflects this complexity. Although the consensus in the solar industry has settled on "agrivoltaics" as the standard name, policy and scientific circles use terms like "solar sharing," “solar greenhouse,” "agrovoltaics," "agrisolar," and many more interchangeably. This diversity of names is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to integrating solar power generation with agricultural production.

However, the numerous benefits of this dual-land method far outweigh the challenges, as evidenced by forecasts indicating that the country’s agrivoltaics market value will reach $361.8 million this year and is expected to grow to $789.9 million by 2032, representing an 11.8% compound annual growth rate (CAGR).

Community, Commercial, and Industrial (CCI) solar developers and Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) firms seeking to take advantage of the growing opportunities in agrivoltaics will find the most success in overcoming the inherent challenges in dual-use projects by using PV modules with two distinct qualities:

• Ultra-high efficiency for design flexibility while achieving a sufficiently high Land Equivalent Ratio (LER) for project feasibility; and

• Proven reliability to perform in the unique thermal conditions that arise from co-locating PV systems and agricultural production.

Let’s explore why these qualities are crucial for agrivoltaics success and how Trinasolar’s high-efficiency, highly reliable n-type TOPCon Vertex N modules make an ideal choice.

Addressing Agrivoltaics System Design Complexity

Agrivoltaics system design complexity often exceeds that of conventional solar installations, requiring projects to balance energy production with agricultural compatibility in ways that typical system designs never encounter. Unlike traditional solar installations, where energy output drives feasibility calculations, agrivoltaics projects must demonstrate enhanced land productivity across both energy and agricultural dimensions.

Like the ground coverage ratio (GCR) decisions made in standard solar designs, these same calculations for agrivoltaics must account for a host of additional factors. The spatial relationship between solar panels and crops creates intricate shading patterns that change throughout growing seasons. Accounting for irrigation systems and clearances for mechanical harvesting equipment imposes mounting height and spacing constraints that can impact system economics. Additionally, the agriculture and energy sectors operate on different timelines with different risk profiles.

The complexity multiplies when you factor in the diverse agricultural practices across regions, with varying photosynthetically active radiation requirements depending on local climate and crop types. For instance, a system designed for leafy greens in California faces entirely different requirements than one supporting cattle grazing in Texas or pollinator habitats in the Midwest. Each application demands unique mounting solutions, panel spacing, and tracking configurations that must still deliver competitive energy returns.

These aspects fundamentally change how to approach system design, component selection, and performance optimization. This multidimensional optimization challenge requires system PV modules that offer exceptional flexibility without compromising performance, reliability, or yield.

Achieving Higher LER in Agrivoltaics Projects

Achieving high LER values determines whether projects can secure financing and regulatory approval in an increasingly competitive landscape.

LER measures the combined productivity of land used for both solar energy generation and agricultural production, compared to using separate land areas for each purpose individually. Calculating the LER involves summing the yield ratios from both farming and energy production in the dual-use system and comparing this to their respective yields in single-use systems. An LER greater than 1.0 indicates that the dual-use system is more efficient than separate land use, with values of 1.4 or higher representing significant efficiency gains that can make agrivoltaics projects economically compelling.

Research from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory indicates that agrivoltaics systems can consistently achieve LER values higher than mono-use land systems, depending on system design parameters and crop selection. However, reaching the higher end of this range requires careful attention to mounting configurations, operational flexibility, and component specifications, particularly in terms of module efficiency and reliability.

What makes this metric particularly crucial for CCI solar developers is its direct impact on project economics. Although LER and Levelized Cost of Energy (LCOE) measure fundamentally different aspects of dual-use performance, these essential metrics serve complementary roles in evaluating agrivoltaics systems. Since a higher LER translates to greater overall productivity from the same land area, it can effectively reduce the land cost component in the LCOE equation. This efficiency gain becomes especially valuable in regions with high land costs or where concerns about agricultural preservation create public resistance to traditional solar development.

Vertex N: Higher Efficiency for More Flexibility in Complex Dual-Use Systems

An advantage of the higher efficiency in n-type TOPCon modules, like Trinasolar’s Vertex N, is that it improves the LER in agrivoltaics applications. Higher-efficiency modules generate more electricity from the same surface area than other modules, allowing for optimal panel spacing and elevation that maintains agricultural productivity while maximizing energy output. The result is a more favorable balance between the two production systems, pushing LER values higher to improve overall project economics.

Beyond raw efficiency, n-type TOPCon modules offer other characteristics that are beneficial in agricultural settings. Their superior performance in low-light conditions means enhanced energy generation during early morning and late afternoon hours, extending productive generation time. Their excellent temperature coefficient ensures lower performance losses at high temperatures, delivering more consistent output during hot summer months when many crops are at peak growth.

Another benefit for agrivoltaic applications is the high bifaciality of Vertex N modules. Field testing has demonstrated that n-type TOPCon modules with high bifaciality can achieve power generation gains compared to other PV technologies. In elevated agrivoltaics installations, this bifacial advantage becomes even more pronounced, as reflected light from crops and soil beneath the panels can be captured by the module's rear side, further boosting energy yield and improving LER.

PV Module Reliability Matters Even More in Agricultural Environments

Agricultural environments also present unique reliability challenges for modules, with operating conditions that thoroughly test a module’s construction and quality. The Kiwa PVEL Module Reliability Scorecard evaluation methodology subjects modules to accelerated stress testing that simulates decades of field operation, including thermal cycling, damp heat exposure, mechanical stress sequences, and potential-induced degradation testing, making its Top Performer recognition particularly relevant for agrivoltaics applications.

Mechanical stress testing becomes crucial in agrivoltaics installations, where modules must withstand vibrations from tractors, harvesting equipment, and agricultural machinery, as well as other potential impacts of farm activities.

Thermal cycling and damp heat exposure, as evaluated in PVEL testing, directly correlate with module behavior under the environments typically found in agrivoltaics settings. Temperature fluctuations are common due to shading from crops, evapotranspiration effects, and seasonal variations that create complex thermal phenomena. Evapotranspiration occurs when water released from the soil (evaporation) and from plant leaves and stems (transpiration) absorbs heat energy from the solar panels and vaporizes into moisture. This process, transferring water from land and produce into the atmosphere, creates damp heat and temperature variations that can damage subpar modules, impacting their electrical output and structural integrity.

Despite these risks, modules that consistently achieve Top Performer status across the Reliability Scorecard categories demonstrate the durability and performance stability essential for successful agrivoltaics deployments. Trinasolar was once again recognized as a “Top Performer” — this time for the eleventh consecutive year — in the Kiwa PVEL Module Reliability Scorecard, with the Vertex N 620W NEG19RC.20, in particular, earning standout recognition for 2025.

Interested in high-efficiency n-type TOPCon Vertex N modules assembled in Texas? Click here to find out where to buy them or reach out to a local team member today to learn more.

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