Solar Expert Perspectives: Unlocking Acceptance and Driving the Future of Agrivoltaics

1. Introduction As global demand for renewable energy increases, agrivoltaics offers a promising solution to the land-use conflicts often associated with solar energy projects. However, its widespread adoption faces significant challenges, including policy ambiguities (Chatzipanagi et al., 2023), socio-political resistance (de Falco et al., 2024), and limited stakeholder alignment (Torma & Aschemann-Witzel, 2024). Studies on agrivoltaics’ social acceptance have focused on the U.S. (Pascaris et al., 2023), France (Carrause & Sartre, 2023), the Netherlands (Sirnik et al., 2024; Biro-Varga et al., 2024), Turkey (Agir et al., 2024), and Africa (Cinderby et al., 2024), identifying recurring obstacles such as competing land-use preferences, inconsistent regulations, and insufficient incentives. Therefore, agrivoltaics should be viewed not just as a technological innovation, but as a socio-technical system that requires changes in social and economic practices (Torma & Aschemann-Witzel, 2023). To address these barriers, a comprehensive understanding of the political, economic, social and technological steps required to unlock agrivoltaics acceptance is necessary. Following group discussions with solar experts at the 2024 EUPVSEC event in Vienna, this study outlines an agenda for driving the future of agrivoltaics. 2. Methodology The backcasting methodology -derived from Futures Studies- involves defining a preferred future state and working backward to identify the actions and milestones necessary to achieve it (Bengston et al., 2020). This approach has been effectively applied in areas such as public policy, sustainable transport, and energy planning (Heinonen & Lauttamäki, 2012; Jones et al., 2014), relying on the input of diverse expert groups to ground insights in practical knowledge and interdisciplinary perspectives. For this study, an interactive workshop was hosted at the EUPVSEC conference in Vienna, Austria, in September 2024, titled “Social Acceptance of Ubiquitous-PV: The Era of Integrated Photovoltaics”. The workshop aimed to explore solar industry perspectives on the challenges and solutions for integrated photovoltaics implementation, leveraging a backcasting approach to collaboratively envision different technologies development; here we focus on the preferred future for agrivoltaics, as constructed and imagined by solar experts. The workshop gathered 30 participants, including policymakers, researchers, and solar industry experts, representing a range of expertise. It began with expert presentations to establish a foundational understanding of agrivoltaics, followed by structured group discussions facilitated using poster boards, structured prompts, and a moderator-led synthesis process. Data from these discussions were recorded through written notes and visual documentation of group outputs, with key insights summarized and presented by two volunteer participants. Participants collaboratively envisioned the ideal future of agrivoltaics, identifying both short- term (2030) and long-term (2040) strategies across key domains, including policies, programs, partnerships, research, and technological advancements. 3. Findings and Significance To ensure a holistic approach, the PEST framework (Li et al., 2021) was employed to categorize insights into political, economic, social, and technological dimensions. This structured methodology enabled the development of an actionable and balanced roadmap for integrating agrivoltaics into sustainable energy and agricultural practices. The findings of this study emphasize the critical role of socio-technical integration in advancing the adoption of agrivoltaics, offering a roadmap for overcoming current barriers and fostering long-term growth. The first finding highlights the need for localized and participatory solutions to achieve societal acceptance. Agrivoltaic systems must be tailored to specific geographical, cultural, and socio- economic contexts, ensuring the economic viability of farming while addressing societal concerns, including visual and cultural dimensions often overlooked in technological discourse. By 2030, agrivoltaics should focus on community engagement and participatory approaches to build trust and foster acceptance. By 2040, these initiatives should evolve into globally recognized standards, embedding agrivoltaics as a cornerstone of sustainable agriculture and energy policies. The second finding underscores the importance of policy innovation to facilitate agrivoltaics adoption. Key strategies include the creation of agro-energy subsidies, standardized regulatory frameworks, and the simplification of administrative processes to reduce costs. By 2030, the focus should be on establishing pilot projects and targeted policies that demonstrate agrivoltaics' economic and social benefits. By 2040, global policy harmonization and institutionalization will be essential to ensure agrivoltaics becomes a fundamental component of agricultural and energy strategies. The third finding emphasizes the necessity of cross-sector collaboration among stakeholders in agriculture, energy, and policy. Immediate actions include the establishment of localized partnerships and the deployment of pilot projects, supported by public awareness campaigns and simplified regulatory measures. By 2030, fostering specialized educational programs and cooperative business models can build capacity and trust within rural communities. By 2040, these efforts should culminate in globally harmonized frameworks, incorporating advanced technologies like artificial intelligence and IoT for optimized management and establishing cross-border networks for knowledge sharing and innovation. These findings collectively present a cohesive agenda for transforming agrivoltaics from a niche innovation into a globally recognized and integrated solution for sustainable energy and agricultural development. 4. References A. Chatzipanagi, N. Taylor, A. 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