Egyptian farmers grow crops under solar panels
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- Egyptian farmers are adopting agrivoltaics by installing solar panels over fields, which shade crops and reduce water loss, helping agriculture adapt to rising temperatures and drought.
- 3E, a renewable energy company, is co-leading pilot agrivoltaic projects in Egypt with different panel arrangements, such as checkerboard patterns, to balance crop light needs and electricity generation.
- Habiba Community, a regenerative farm in South Sinai, installed solar panels in May and is observing improved growth in watermelons, a promising early candidate for agrivoltaic cultivation.
- Researchers in Colorado found rooftop agrivoltaic systems use one-third less water than unshaded crops, while also protecting plants from intense sun and wind, supporting Egypt’s pilot efforts.
- Maged El-Said of Habiba Community emphasized community-driven adaptation, stating the goal is to support existing farming practices rather than impose new crops or models.
- Gofran Chowdhury of 3E noted there is no standardized agrivoltaic model yet, so multiple projects are experimenting with configurations to determine what works best locally.
Why it matters: Farmers in Egypt gain a dual-use system that produces food and electricity while cutting water use, a critical advantage in arid regions. If scalable, agrivoltaics could transform dryland farming by turning solar infrastructure into a water-saving tool, not just a power source.
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