A four-year study found that rooftop solar panels in an Australian pear orchard reduced sun and hail damage, but reduced fruit yield and ruddy color. Although energy production and tree resilience have been improved, the findings highlight trade-offs for agrivoltaic systems, with potential applicability to other fruit crops such as apples and cherries.
A research group from the Agriculture Victoria Researchh in Australia conducted a four-year analysis of the long-term effects of agrivoltaic energy on the productivity and fruit quality of the Australian blush pear and found that the solar panels mitigated damage from sun and hail, but also changed productivity.
“Our findings are very likely applicable to other fruit crops, but more research needs to be done,” said the study’s corresponding author, Alessio Scalisi. pv magazine. “OOther crops such as apple and cherry could benefit more from solar panels on the roof.”
The researchers conducted their tests in a pear orchard in Goulburn Valley, Victoria, Australia, equipped with stainless steel structures that support solar panels above the canopy. Three treatments were tested, each with three replicates: control, without panels; 45°W with solar panels tilted 45° west; and 5°W with panels tilted 5° westward. Each plot covered three adjacent rows of trees over 10 m (105.5 m²), with an internal measuring area of 22.5 m². The central row provided measurement trees and the two flanking rows served as buffers, with measurements taken on the five central trees.
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The two 52 kW solar facilities use 435 W solar modules from Chinese manufacturer Longi and inverters from China-based Sungrow. A fraction of the system’s energy powers the irrigation pump, while the surplus is returned to the electricity grid. The elevated fixed panels spanned several rows of trees, creating different levels of shade above the canopy. Each treatment was repeated to compare effects on microclimate, energy production and tree performance.
The analysis found that the three plots showed clear seasonal trends in solar radiation and air temperature between 2021 and 2025, with peak values during the summer months, while rainfall, relative humidity and vapor pressure deficit varied more between seasons. The 2022–23 and 2023–24 seasons were affected by La Niña, resulting in milder summers with more cloud cover, rainfall and humidity, while 2021–22 and 2024–25 were the driest and warmest seasons.
Furthermore, the measurements showed that the orientation of the photovoltaic panels had a remarkable effect on the interception of radiation. The 5°W arrays captured light more evenly during the day, while the 45°W arrays intercepted significantly more light in the afternoon. Consequently, the 5°W arrays generated approximately 10% more energy than the 45°W arrays, with peak production occurring in December, reflecting expected seasonal patterns for the Southern Hemisphere.
The scientists also found that the shade cast by the panels affected the productivity of trees. Both fruit number and total yield per tree were reduced under shade, with the 5°W system producing the largest reductions. Over a four-year period, control trees achieved the highest cumulative yield of 137 t ha⁻¹, compared to 77-89 t ha⁻¹ for shaded treatments. Fruit quality was also affected: red blush coverage decreased under shade, green background increased, and soluble solids content decreased, although pulp firmness remained unaffected.
However, shading was also found to significantly reduce damage from sunburn and hail, protecting fruit during high-stress conditions, with instrumental color analysis confirming that shaded fruit was lighter and less red.
Trees in the shade also showed improved trunk growth early in the season, likely due to greater water availability, while control trees grew more slowly during peak growth periods. Leaf water status, stomatal conductance and transpiration were similar across treatments, but shaded trees maintained lower leaf temperatures and higher photosystem efficiency throughout the day.
Overall, agrivoltaic shading improved energy production and reduced stress-related damage, but these benefits came at the expense of fruit yield and coloration, highlighting the disadvantages of integrating photovoltaic arrays into orchards. “Long-term economic analyzes will be essential to determine the viability of agrivoltaic energy for fruit growers worldwide,” the academics said.
Their research work was introduced in “Long-term effects of agrivoltaic energy on yield and fruit quality of bicolor (blush) pears”, published in Scientia Horticulturae. “In In future research, we should focus on tracker-based agrivoltaic energy, in addition to semi-transparent technology,” Scalisi concluded.
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