Dual-Use Potential of Agrivoltaics in Portugal – a Case Study in Baixo Alentejo

Project OTGEN seeks to identify the challenges for agrivoltaics in Portugal and explore its potential in the southern region of Portugal, Baixo Alentejo, which has one of the highest solar potentials in Europe. Portugal has excellent conditions for agrivoltaics, but its potential is still underexploited. Despite, it’s very hot and dry summers, Baixo Alentejo has significant agricultural activity, making it a highly pertinent case study for agrivoltaics. Also, the benefits of agrivoltaics in terms of water management in such a dry region can be significant. To engage with the communities and understand the views of the different stakeholders, a series of three workshops on agrivoltaics were conducted. The Baixo Alentejo pilot project definition includes the testing of several crops, agrivoltaic structures, and the analysis of various business models. OTGEN aims to improve understanding of the social and economic aspects of AgriPV and deepen the knowledge of its technical aspects, namely unveiling the most suitable crops and PV structures for agrivoltaics in the region.