Advanced Agrivoltaics
Advanced Agrivoltaics — Technical Requirements
Advanced agrivoltaics: what the law requires and how it works in practice
The Testo Unico sulle Energie Rinnovabili (Legislative Decree 190/2024), updated by Law 4/2026, defines a precise regulatory framework for the installation of photovoltaic plants in agricultural areas.
It is no longer sufficient for photovoltaic panels and crops to share the same land: they must coexist in a genuinely synergistic way.
The continuity of agricultural activity has become the central requirement for determining the feasibility of a photovoltaic project on agricultural land.
The installation of traditional ground-mounted photovoltaic plants is now prohibited.
The continuity of agricultural activity has become the central requirement for determining the feasibility of a photovoltaic project on agricultural land.
The installation of traditional ground-mounted photovoltaic plants is now prohibited.
Plants must therefore fall within the category of advanced agrivoltaics, defined as a system that:
- preserves the continuity of crop and livestock activities
- features modules elevated from the ground, including with rotation systems (trackers)
- integrates digital and precision farming tools
Alongside the technical definition of the plant, the regulations introduce stringent obligations to ensure the genuine continuity of agricultural activity:
- submission of a technical sworn statement certifying the maintenance of at least 80% of Gross Saleable Production (PLV)
- municipal checks in the five years following commissioning, aimed at verifying the continuity of agricultural activity
Technical requirements for agrivoltaic plants
The MASE Guidelines published in June 2022 define the technical requirements needed to qualify a plant as advanced agrivoltaic.
The objective is to guarantee the continuity of agricultural activity on the land and ensure the maintenance of at least 80% of the farm's gross saleable production.
The objective is to guarantee the continuity of agricultural activity on the land and ensure the maintenance of at least 80% of the farm's gross saleable production.
| Requirement | Characteristics | Minimum threshold | What it means in practice |
|---|---|---|---|
| PLV Req. | Production maintenance | ≥ 80% of Gross Saleable Production | Ensures that the agrivoltaic plant does not compromise agricultural activity, maintaining the productive continuity of the holding |
| Req. A | Utilised agricultural area (SAU) | Agricultural area ≥ 70% of total plant area | The area dedicated to agricultural activity, net of the surfaces covered by non-cultivable photovoltaic components (structures, electrical cabins, inverters and internal access roads), must represent at least 70% of the total area |
| Module coverage area (LAOR) | Spv / Stot ≤ 40% | The ratio between the total module area (Spv) and the total land area (Stot) must be less than 40% | |
| Req. B | Electrical production of the agrivoltaic plant | ≥ 60% of an equivalent standard PV plant on the same site | The electrical output of the agrivoltaic plant must be at least equal to 60% of that of a standard photovoltaic plant installed on the same land |
| Req. C | Minimum module height |
≥ 1.3 m for livestock activity ≥ 2.1 m for crop activity |
Ensures that the space beneath the panels is sufficient to allow agricultural activity |
| Req. D | Monitoring system |
Monitor:
|
Verify the performance of the agrivoltaic system in terms of impact on crops, water savings and agricultural productivity |
PLV Req.
Minimum threshold
≥ 80% of Gross Saleable Production
What it means in practice
Ensures that the agrivoltaic plant does not compromise agricultural activity, maintaining the productive continuity of the holding
Req. A
Utilised agricultural area (SAU)
Minimum threshold
Agricultural area ≥ 70% of total plant area
What it means in practice
The area dedicated to agricultural activity, net of the surfaces covered by non-cultivable photovoltaic components (structures, electrical cabins, inverters and internal access roads), must represent at least 70% of the total area
Req. A
Module coverage area (LAOR)
Minimum threshold
Spv / Stot ≤ 40%
What it means in practice
The ratio between the total module area (Spv) and the total land area (Stot) must be less than 40%
Req. B
Electrical production of the agrivoltaic plant
Minimum threshold
≥ 60% of an equivalent standard PV plant on the same site
What it means in practice
The electrical output of the agrivoltaic plant must be at least equal to 60% of that of a standard photovoltaic plant installed on the same land
Req. C
Minimum module height
Minimum threshold
≥ 1.3 m for livestock activity
≥ 2.1 m for crop activity
≥ 2.1 m for crop activity
What it means in practice
Ensures that the space beneath the panels is sufficient to allow agricultural activity
Req. D
Monitoring system
Minimum threshold
Monitor:
- Water savings
- Impact on crops, agricultural productivity
What it means in practice
Verify the performance of the agrivoltaic system in terms of impact on crops, water savings and agricultural productivity
The rules introduced in 2026
With the Testo Unico sulle Energie Rinnovabili (Legislative Decree 190/2024), updated by Law 4/2026, the continuity of agricultural activity is no longer merely a technical principle, but a legally verifiable obligation. Project compliance is now assessed on the basis of the farm's Gross Saleable Production, with annual checks during the first five years of agrivoltaic plant operation.
The sworn declaration on PLV
The agrivoltaic project must demonstrate the maintenance of at least 80% of the PLV — Gross Saleable Production of the farm. This requirement must be certified by a sworn declaration signed by a qualified professional. The PLV represents the economic value generated by the farm.
Municipal checks over the five-year period
In the five years following commissioning of the agrivoltaic plant, the competent municipality verifies that the land continues to be meaningfully dedicated to crop or livestock activity. In the event of non-compliance with the minimum threshold, the plant may be deemed non-compliant with the authorisation granted, with possible sanctions for the party responsible for the agrivoltaic project.
Penalty regime
Law 4/2026 provides for administrative penalties ranging from €1,000 to €100,000, in addition to an obligation to restore the site. The aim of the legislation is to prevent the installation of photovoltaic plants in agricultural areas that do not guarantee genuine coexistence with agricultural activity.
How GDS Sole Italie designs advanced agrivoltaic plants
GDS Sole Italie integrates regulatory requirements from the earliest stages of project development, treating technical compliance as a genuine design condition rather than a mere administrative formality.
1. Elevated structures and tracker systems
Guaranteeing the minimum heights required by the MASE Guidelines and rotation systems to allow the continuity of agricultural activity on the land.
2. Layout adapted to agricultural activity
Designing module tilt, row spacing and module density based on the planned agricultural activity and its characteristics, in collaboration with the farming business.
3. Monitoring as a management tool
Providing for periodic checks of data on agricultural productivity, water savings and the impact of the agrivoltaic system on crops, in order to adapt the agrivoltaic plant as needed.
The know-how of the Générale du Solaire group across different types of agrivoltaic systems (livestock, crops, fruit), developed particularly in France, contributes to the design in Italy of technically compliant agrivoltaic plants that guarantee the continuity of agricultural activity.