Energy: Agrivoltaics, ENEA and NREL to coordinate the International Energy Agency's Action Group

Alessandra Scognamiglio of ENEA and Jordan Macknick of NREL (National Renewable Energy Laboratory), the main US research center on renewables, will lead the Agrivoltaic Action Group promoted by the International Energy Agency (IEA) to coordinate research on agrivoltaics, synthesize its results and develop a better understanding of current trends, also promoting dialogue between the energy and agricultural sectors.

Created by the PhotoVoltaic Power Systems Programme (PVSP), one of the IEA’s technology cooperation programmes, the Action Group aims to unlock the potential of agrivoltaics through international cooperation, optimise land use, enhance agricultural resilience to climate change and preserve landscapes while promoting community acceptance and citizen engagement, in line with the objectives of energy transition and decarbonisation.

The Action Group will also work to harmonise the different definitions of agrivoltaics used in different regulatory contexts to suggest common terms and metrics for research in the sector and identify any gaps to fill them in future IEA PVPS activities.

The IEA PVPS is currently engaged in the development of agrivoltaics in three sub-working groups (or tasks): n. 12 (Sustainability of photovoltaics), n. 13 (Reliability and performance of photovoltaic systems) and n. 16 (Solar resources for high penetration and large-scale applications). After an initial steering phase, the working group will organize thematic and intertask workshops with the aim of harmonizing the work of the various sub-groups, addressing topics not included in IEA PVPS research and promoting cross-collaboration.

The outcomes of the activities will be published by 2025 in the dossier “Status quo and global trends in agrivoltaics”, accompanied by a report with recommendations and future initiatives to be undertaken in the sector.

Graduated in Architecture, with a PhD in Environmental and Architectural Technologies, Alessandra Scognamiglio is specialized in the integration of photovoltaics in buildings and landscapes. She coordinates the ENEA Sustainable Agrivoltaic task force and is President of the AIAS - Italian Sustainable Agrivoltaic Association, comprising approximately 100 members, and is a member of the Executive Committee of IEA PVPS. In 2023 she led the World Conference on Photovoltaic Energy Conversion (WCPEC).

ENEA has designed a map documenting Italy’s agrivoltaic potential on a regional scale, has contributed to the publication of the reference practice and provides support to the sector through innovative technologies, certification protocols, training courses and international projects like Symbiosyst.