Irradiance Management in Agrivoltaic Systems with Varying Designs Across Latitudes: Toward Finland’s First Significant Demonstration

This study performs irradiance management in AgriPV systems with varying design parameters to support the development of Finland’s first significant AgriPV demonstration project. Using ray-tracing simulations at three locations with distinct latitudes, we analyzed annual solar insolation on PV modules and ground level. Within the azimuth-tilt iterations, maximum module insolation occurs with a southwest orientation, corresponding to minimal ground insolation. Due south orientation induces the strongest non-uniformity in ground irradiance. For more balanced distribution between PV modules and crops, a southeast-facing configuration is preferred. Height-GCR iterations show that increasing installation height or reducing GCR enhance both module and ground insolation. Height controls the shading extent beneath the mounting structure, whereas GCR modulates the spacing between shaded regions. Accordingly, two different optimization strategies can be suggested for overhead and vertical configurations. Overhead systems benefit primarily from optimizing installation height, enabling more uniform irradiance distribution under the PV modules, while vertical systems require low mounting height and tuned GCR to achieve shading-free areas between PV arrays. Latitude-dependent effects have also been identified. For overhead systems, higher latitudes allow lower installation heights to achieve a given ground uniformity, while for vertical systems, lower latitudes tolerate higher GCRs without sacrificing the uniformity.