Agrivoltaic Design Guide: Crops, Row Spacing, Height and Machinery Access

BTR Enerji Engineering Team · Published: 28 September 2026 · 6 min read

In a successful agrivoltaic project the design starts from the farmer's workflow; energy yield is optimised within that frame. This guide walks through the decisions to take, in order, when planning an agri tracker site and how each affects energy and farming.

1. Define the agricultural use

The first design input is the crop, not the module. Do not size the structure before these are clear:

• Which crop will be grown; is there a rotation?
• What is the crop's light demand; how does partial shade affect yield?
• Which machines are used (tractor, sprayer, harvester) and what are their working widths and heights?
• What is the irrigation system (drip, sprinkler, pivot) and drainage?
• If livestock is planned, which species (sheep or cattle) and herd size?

2. Choose the system type: under or between?

With an elevated system, farming continues under the modules; clear height is typically 2.1 m or more and machinery passes beneath the structure. The structure carries higher wind loads and costs more, but agricultural area loss is minimal. With an interspace system, the tracker stays close to standard height and farming takes place in wide row gaps; structure cost falls and row spacing grows with machinery width.

3. Set row spacing for machinery and light

Row spacing (pitch) is the parameter that most affects both energy and farming:

• Machinery: clear passage = working width + a safety margin on each side (typically 0.5–1 m). Turning the tracker steep during passes narrows the module footprint and widens the clearance.
• Light: the lower the ground coverage ratio (GCR), the more light reaches the field. Conventional tracker plants typically use a GCR of 0.28–0.40; agrivoltaic sites commonly use 0.15–0.30.
• Energy: wider spacing reduces row-to-row shading; backtracking engages less and yield per module rises, while installed capacity per hectare falls.

You can see the energy effect of row spacing instantly by changing the GCR setting in our tracker simulator.

4. Height and structure

• Clearance: the highest point of the machinery plus a safety margin. In orchards, canopy height and pruning/harvest platforms are taken into account.
• Wind load: overturning moment grows with height; pile depth, sections and the wind stow strategy are sized accordingly.
• Pile layout: piles must not clash with planting rows and tillage strips; maintenance tracks are aligned with crop rows.

5. Control strategy: for the crop as well as the energy

A conventional tracker maximises energy. An agri tracker can add agricultural rules to its control software:

• Light-priority mode: in critical stages such as germination or flowering, module angles leave more light to the crop.
• Shade mode: in very hot hours, shade reduces leaf temperature and evaporation.
• Machinery / maintenance position: modules turn steep during harvesting and spraying.
• Protection position: safe stow in strong wind; depending on the system, a protective position on hail warnings.

The energy cost of these strategies is usually limited to a few percent and should be quantified in advance with a site-specific simulation.

6. Water and soil

Partial shade can reduce evaporation from the soil surface; reduced irrigation demand has been observed, especially in hot, dry regions. Plan drip lines and drainage so that rain running off the modules does not erode the drip line, and keep irrigation pipes clear of pile lines.

7. Combining with livestock

Sheep grazing is one of the most common and easiest forms of agrivoltaics: the animals manage vegetation under the modules and the modules provide shade. Cables must be protected out of the animals' reach and the lowest module edge kept above animal height. For cattle, structure height and impact resistance need separate assessment.

8. Feasibility: two revenue streams together

1. Energy revenue: tracker yield computed from the site's hourly weather data (our free simulator does this).
2. Agricultural revenue: expected crop yield relative to the reference and possible quality effects (e.g. less sunburn).
3. Extra costs: taller structures, longer cable runs due to wider spacing and control software features.
4. LER: the further the sum of crop and electricity yield ratios exceeds 1, the more efficiently the land is used.

Common mistakes

• Laying out the energy plant first and trying to "fit" farming afterwards.
• Ignoring machinery dimensions and turning radii (headland space at row ends).
• Routing cables through cultivated strips or leaving them unprotected on the surface.
• Using the tight row spacing of a conventional plant without considering crop light demand.
• Not checking current regulation and land class at the start of the project.

Frequently asked questions

How is row spacing chosen in agrivoltaics?

Machinery working width, safety margins and the crop's light demand are assessed together. Agrivoltaic sites typically use a ground coverage ratio (GCR) of 0.15-0.30, which means wider rows than a conventional tracker plant.

How high should an agri tracker be?

If farming continues under the modules, the clear height is typically 2.1 m or more; if farming takes place between rows, standard tracker height may be enough. The highest point of the machinery plus a safety margin is decisive.

How do machines work on an agrivoltaic site?

Row spacing is planned around the machinery working width; the tracker turns to a steep position during passes to add clearance. Headland space for turning must be left at row ends.

Does agrivoltaics reduce irrigation needs?

Partial shade can lower soil evaporation and leaf temperature; reduced irrigation demand has been observed, especially in hot, dry regions. The effect varies by crop and climate.

Which documents does an agrivoltaic project need?

Title deed and land class, agricultural-land conversion or related permits, grid connection opinion, topographic survey, geotechnical study and an agricultural use plan are the basics. Check current regulation for each project.

The ratios on this page are typical industry ranges and are not binding; exact values are determined by a site-specific analysis.