HyPErFarm · Project

Solar Panels and Hydrogen Production on Farms Without Losing Crop Land

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Imagine putting solar panels above your crops so the same field grows food AND generates electricity — that's agrivoltaics. HyPErFarm took this idea further by adding on-farm hydrogen production and smart energy use, so farmers can power their equipment, heat buildings, and even supply clean energy to nearby towns. They tested new panel designs that let enough light through for crops, figured out which crops grow best underneath, and built business models so farmers can actually make money doing this. The project ran real demonstrations across Belgium, Germany, Denmark, and the Netherlands to prove it works at farm scale.

By the numbers

TRL7-8

Target technology readiness level for agrivoltaic systems

Consortium partners across the value chain

Countries with demonstration activities (BE, DE, DK, NL)

Industry partners involved in commercialization

SMEs in the consortium

60%

Industry ratio in consortium

Total project deliverables

The business problem

What needed solving

Farmers face rising energy costs and growing pressure to cut fossil fuel use, but installing traditional solar parks means losing valuable cropland. At the same time, rural areas need decentralized clean energy and hydrogen supply but lack cost-effective production sites. There is no proven, farmer-friendly business model that combines food production with energy generation on the same land.

The solution

What was built

The project built and demonstrated agrivoltaic systems combining bifacial PV panels with crop production, on-farm hydrogen production and storage systems, e-driven biomass pyrolysis for carbon capture and soil improvement, and validated business models for farmer adoption. An open day demonstration showcased the agrivoltaic concept setups at operational scale.

Audience

Who needs this

Large-scale crop farmers looking to add energy revenue without losing productive landSolar park developers seeking rural sites without land-use conflictsGreen hydrogen companies needing decentralized production locationsAgricultural cooperatives pursuing carbon-neutral farming operationsRural energy suppliers building local clean energy infrastructure

Business applications

Who can put this to work

Agricultural operations

any

Target: Large-scale crop farms and agricultural cooperatives

If you are a farming operation dealing with rising energy costs and pressure to cut carbon emissions — this project developed agrivoltaic systems tested at TRL7-8 that let you generate solar power and produce hydrogen on the same land you use for crops. The consortium of 15 partners across 4 countries validated business models specifically designed for farmer adoption. You keep growing food while adding a new revenue stream from energy production.

Renewable energy development

mid-size

Target: Solar park developers and energy companies expanding into rural areas

If you are a solar energy developer struggling with land-use conflicts and community opposition to large PV parks — this project demonstrated dual-use agrivoltaic installations with bifacial PV panels that maintain agricultural production. With 9 industry partners involved in testing marketability, the results include proven configurations and consumer acceptance data from 4 European countries. This opens rural land that was previously off-limits for solar development.

Green hydrogen production

SME

Target: Hydrogen technology companies and distributed energy suppliers

If you are a hydrogen company looking for decentralized production sites with low land costs — this project developed and demonstrated on-farm PV-to-hydrogen production, storage, and use systems. The consortium included 5 SMEs working on practical deployment, and the technology was moved to TRL7-8 readiness. Farm-based hydrogen production bypasses the need for expensive industrial sites and connects directly to local distribution.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

What would it cost to install an agrivoltaic system on my farm?

The project focused on optimizing viable business models for agrivoltaic systems but specific per-hectare costs are not published in the available data. Contact the consortium for cost modeling based on your farm size and crop type. As an Innovation Action targeting TRL7-8, the economics were a central focus with dedicated marketability testing.

Can this work at industrial scale or is it still experimental?

HyPErFarm explicitly targeted TRL7-8, meaning the systems were demonstrated in operational environments at near-commercial scale. The project ran open day demonstrations of agrivoltaic setups and involved 9 industry partners across 4 countries. This is past the lab stage — it was designed for real farm deployment.

Who owns the IP and can I license the technology?

The consortium of 15 partners includes both universities and industry. IP arrangements would depend on which specific technology component you need — bifacial panels, hydrogen production systems, or crop management practices. KU Leuven coordinated the project and would be the starting point for licensing discussions.

Which crops actually grow well under the solar panels?

The project developed radically new crop production systems optimized for agrivoltaic conditions, but the specific crop performance data would need to be obtained from the consortium's deliverables. Farmer adoption studies were conducted across Belgium, Germany, Denmark, and the Netherlands with different climate conditions.

Does this comply with EU agricultural and energy regulations?

The project was funded under LC-CLA-04-2018, directly aligned with EU climate targets and sustainable development goals. Consumer acceptance and public perception analyses were part of the work program. The business models were designed with European regulatory conditions in mind across 4 member states.

How quickly could I deploy this on my land?

The project ran from November 2020 to December 2024, moving agrivoltaic systems to TRL7-8. With the technology now demonstrated and business models validated, deployment timelines would depend on local permitting and grid connection. The 5 SME partners in the consortium are positioned to support commercial rollout.

Consortium

Who built it

The HyPErFarm consortium is strongly industry-oriented: 9 out of 15 partners (60%) come from industry, including 5 SMEs, backed by 4 universities and 1 research organization. This is a good sign for commercial readiness — the technology was developed with companies in the room, not just academics. The consortium spans 4 countries (Belgium, Germany, Denmark, Netherlands) — all strong agricultural economies with active renewable energy policies. KU Leuven coordinated, bringing academic credibility, while the majority-industry partnership ensured business model viability and real-world testing were central priorities throughout the project.

KATHOLIEKE UNIVERSITEIT LEUVENCoordinator · BE
AARHUS UNIVERSITETparticipant · DK
COLRUYT GROUPparticipant · BE
FUELSAVE GMBHparticipant · DE
HYET HYDROGEN BVparticipant · NL
HOCHSCHULE OFFENBURGparticipant · DE
AGRO INTELLIGENCE APSparticipant · DK
BOERENBOND PROJECTENparticipant · BE
PNO INNOVATIONparticipant · BE

How to reach the team

KU Leuven (Belgium) coordinated this project. SciTransfer can facilitate an introduction to the right team member.

Order a report on this consortium See KATHOLIEKE UNIVERSITEIT LEUVEN profile →

Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

Want to explore agrivoltaic systems or on-farm hydrogen for your operations? SciTransfer can connect you directly with the HyPErFarm team and help assess fit for your specific situation.

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