Energy, Carbon Emission and Sustainability Assessment of Sugar Beet Production Using Agrivoltaic Systems in Türkiye

Rising energy demand, climate change, and the need for sustainable agriculture are increasing the importance of agrivoltaic systems (AVS), which enable the simultaneous production of food and renewable energy on the same land. In this study, the energy, environmental, and economic performance of a 66 kWp AVS designed for sugar beet production under Türkiye’s semi-arid climate conditions was evaluated. The provinces of Konya, Eskişehir, and Yozgat were selected as case study areas, and meteorological data such as solar irradiance, ambient temperature, and sunshine duration were obtained from the PVGIS-SARAH3 database. System performance was analyzed comparatively in terms of annual electricity generation, carbon emission reductions, and economic indicators. The results showed that Konya achieved the highest electricity generation at 117,660.17 kWh/year, while the corresponding values for Yozgat and Eskişehir were 110,262.62 kWh/year and 108,468.13 kWh/year, respectively. It was determined that renewable electricity generation could prevent annual CO2 emissions of 49.42 metric tons, 46.31 metric tons, and 45.56 metric tons, while the annual electricity cost savings for agricultural operations were calculated to be $8111, $7601 and $7477, respectively. The findings reveal that the key factors determining the performance of AVS under semi-arid climate conditions are global solar radiation and sunshine duration. Furthermore, AVSs can improve land-use efficiency by enabling the simultaneous production of energy and agricultural products on the same land, while reducing carbon emissions and supporting the economic sustainability of agricultural enterprises.