Agri-photovoltaics uses the same area twice: farming continues under, above or between the modules – from high-mounted "solar roofs" over fruit crops to vertical module rows in grassland. The dual use can even protect crops (hail, sunburn, evaporation). In Switzerland, agri-PV is a young, tightly regulated field: the agricultural zone remains protected, and installations there are permitted only under conditions. (As of: July 2026)
Key points in brief
- Agri-PV means dual use: the land produces food and electricity at the same time – farming remains the primary use.
- Two basic designs dominate: high-mounted modules above crops and vertical, bifacial module rows.
- A worthwhile side effect: modules can act as weather protection – against hail, sunburn and drying out.
- The agricultural zone is protected under spatial planning law; agri-PV is only permitted there under strict conditions.
- For the individual farm, the roof is today usually the more economical entry point – agri-PV is the supplement, not the replacement.
What is agri-PV – and what does it actually look like?
Agri-photovoltaics refers to systems where a plot's agricultural use is preserved and electricity production is added – not the other way round. That fundamentally distinguishes it from a ground-mounted system, which turns a meadow into a solar field: with agri-PV, crops keep growing underneath, between or alongside.
Two designs have become established:
High-mounted. The modules stand several metres above the ground, so crops can grow underneath and machinery can pass through. Typical application: fruit and berry crops that already stand under protective nets or foil – there, the semi-transparent module roof replaces the existing weather protection.
Vertically mounted. Bifacial modules – active on both sides – stand as vertical rows in grassland, similar to fences. Between the rows, mowing or grazing continues. Yield shifts into the morning and evening hours, when the sun hits the module surfaces at a shallow angle – a welcome complement to the midday peak of classic systems, similar to east-west layouts on flat roofs.
The dual benefit is more than marketing: over sensitive crops, modules act as protection against hail and sunburn and reduce evaporation. The art of planning lies in preserving enough light and workability for the crop – agri-PV is therefore always first an agricultural project and only then an energy project.
What applies legally in Switzerland?
Restraint by design. The agricultural zone is strictly protected under spatial planning – farmland is meant to produce food, not become building land. Free-standing solar systems are therefore fundamentally tricky there; agri-PV moves within a narrowly defined exception window whose core is the preserved primary agricultural use: the system must serve farming, or at least demonstrably let it continue.
In practice that means: projects where the dual use provably works are the ones most likely to get approved – for example module weather protection over special crops. The route runs via an ordinary approval procedure with cantonal specialist bodies; there's no standard process like the notification procedure for a house roof here. The legal situation is also in flux – energy legislation has generally given solar systems a boost, and concrete practice for agri-PV is developing along with the first projects and pilot installations.
For an individual farm, that gives a sober order of priorities: first use the large, uncontested areas – the roofs. Barns, sheds and outbuildings often offer huge areas with no spatial-planning hurdles; what applies there, from full feed-in to the fibre-cement question, is covered in the article PV on agricultural buildings. Agri-PV on open land is the second, more demanding step.
Who is agri-PV interesting for today?
For farms with suitable crops and a project partner – less for a quick extra income.
| Starting point | Assessment |
|---|---|
| Fruit/berry growing with existing weather protection | the most interesting case: a module roof replaces netting/foil |
| Grassland with interest in vertical rows | possible, yield in the morning/evening – a project with specialist partners |
| Large-scale arable farming | demanding, more pilot-project territory |
| Farm with large, unused roofs | start with the roofs – simpler and more economical |
Classification, as of: July 2026 – a young, evolving field. Cantonal approval practice and the assessment of the individual case are decisive.
Honestly assessed: agri-PV is technically fascinating and makes sense for the economy as a whole – electricity production without losing farmland, with a winter-electricity contribution from vertical bifacial systems, similar to the logic of alpine systems. For the individual farm, though, it remains in 2026 a project with a pioneering character: more planning effort, young approval territory, specialist partners needed. Anyone wanting to get in today does best where the agricultural extra benefit is obvious – and has already used the roofs fully first.
Enquiries about agri-PV usually reach us after a media report – and the conversation almost always takes the same turn: we first look together at the farm's roofs. There are often hundreds of square metres lying unused, with no spatial-planning question marks and an established funding route. That often answers the farm's energy question before the field question even begins. The field projects we consider realistic all share the same core: the farmer primarily wants better weather protection for their crop – and it produces electricity on the side. Where electricity is the main motivation and the crop becomes the justification, we advise caution – the approval authorities notice that too.
Frequently asked questions
Does anything even grow under the modules?
Yes, if the system is designed for it – light levels and water distribution are part of the design. Some crops even benefit from partial shade and weather protection. Agri-PV is planned per crop; there's no blanket answer, but there is a crop-specific one.
Can I as a farmer simply put modules on my meadow?
No – the agricultural zone is protected, free-standing systems need approval, and that's only granted under conditions, above all the preserved agricultural use. The route runs via cantonal procedures. The roofs of farm buildings are considerably simpler.
What do the vertical module rows in grassland achieve?
They mainly produce in the morning and evening, when the low sun hits the vertical, double-sided-active modules – a complement to the midday peak of classic systems. Farming continues between the rows. For the grid, this time-shifted output is valuable.
Do the modules really protect against hail?
Over sensitive crops, high-mounted modules can take over the function of hail netting – that's one of the strongest use cases. The modules themselves are hail-tested. Whether the protection can replace the existing solution is settled by crop-specific planning.
Does agri-PV pay off financially for my farm?
That depends on the project – blanket return claims would be irresponsible. Realistically: the roofs are almost always the more economical entry point today; agri-PV on open land pays off most readily where it creates an agricultural extra benefit, for example as weather protection. A case-by-case calculation replaces any rule of thumb.
Free initial consultation
Energy project on the farm? We start at the roof.
From the barn to the specialty crop: we show where your farm produces solar power most economically – and give you an honest assessment of what's approvable today.
Prefer to talk? +41 78 830 83 35
Photovoltaic installer for your region →
Swissolar-certified specialist company · ESTI installation authorisation (Art. 14 NIV) · in Zurich since 2017 · over 150 systems completed · a personal answer from the specialist company, no call centre
Sources: Spatial planning law (agricultural zone), SFOE/Agroscope publications on agri-photovoltaics, general technical basics on bifacial and elevated systems; assessment by ecoEn GmbH, Zurich region.
Last updated: 9 July 2026 · Author: ecoEn editorial team
