Potential of agrivoltaics in ASEAN considering a scenario where agroforestry expansion is also pursued

Abstract

Integration of solar photovoltaics on croplands (“agrivoltaics”) has been promoted as an environmentally-friendly approach for solar energy deployment. Past studies, however, have not considered that these croplands could alternatively be used as sites for expanding agroforestry, a practice which provides important ecosystem services to the neighbouring environment. We assessed the potential of agrivoltaics on herbaceous croplands in ASEAN, considering potential trade-offs with agroforestry. We assumed that croplands located in environmentally sensitive areas (ESAs) – including protected areas, key biodiversity areas, forests, wetlands/inland water bodies, their buffer zones, and areas with steep slopes – were better suited for agroforestry than agrivoltaics. We found that even if agrivoltaics are prohibited on all croplands located in ESAs, using just 10 % of the remaining land for agrivoltaics can still allow it to provide most of ASEAN's electricity generation needs. Thus, large-scale expansion of agrivoltaics need not conflict with regional efforts to enhance biodiversity/ecosystem services through agroforestry.