Agrivoltaic System Potential to Mitigate Effects of Climate Change in Viticulture

Abstract

Viticulture already faces several climate-related risks, which will be even more severe in the future. If Agrivoltaics (APV) can help to mitigate challenges associated to climate change still has to be investigated. To address this, we analyze historical meteorological data, onsite measurements, and climate projections to summarize the effect of climate change on wine yield for two wine-growing sites: Hatzenport, Germany, and Laujar, Spain. We compare projected ambient temperature, precipi- tation, and global horizontal irradiance to the effects of various APV installations on these parameters. Since 1970, temper- atures at both locations have risen by about 2.5°C, and future scenarios show further warming, especially in Hatzenport, where average yearly temperatures are predicted to increase up to 5.8°C under 8.5 W m−2 radiative forcing until 2100. The climate projections indicate that heat waves and droughts are increasingly likely to occur in Laujar by 2100. Phenological stages might occur about 10–20 days earlier in the year 2100, which increases the risk of hail damage and shortened dormancy periods. APV systems have the potential to mitigate those risks by providing protection for the crops, improving microclimate below the photovoltaic modules by reducing air and soil temperatures, and simultaneously generating renewable energy on agricultural land.