TITLE:
Agrovoltaics, An Innovative Solution to Reconcile Renewable Energy Production and Agricultural Yield in Côte d’Ivoire
AUTHORS:
Sampson Oladapo Oyedele, Lancine Bamba, Mamadou Mariko, Raymond Kre, Boko Aka
KEYWORDS:
Agrovoltaic, Renewable Energy, Solar Panels, Agricultural Production
JOURNAL NAME:
Modeling and Numerical Simulation of Material Science,
Vol.15 No.2,
April
30,
2025
ABSTRACT: Côte d’Ivoire has embarked on an ambitious energy transition aimed at increasing its share of renewable energy in its energy mix. At the same time, the country is facing the major challenge of electrification in rural areas, where abundant solar irradiation offers considerable potential. Côte d’Ivoire, thanks to its tropical climate and generous sunshine, is ideally positioned to take advantage of solar energy. However, the need to preserve agricultural land often limits the implementation of conventional solar parks. Agrovoltaic emerges as an innovative solution, allowing for the reconciliation of the production of clean energy with agriculture on the same surface. Indeed, thanks to solar panels, the soil on which they are installed is kept humid and protected from direct sunlight, thus offering a cooler and more prolific environment for plant development. With this combination, both parties benefit from each other’s resource use. This article explores and illustrates the positive impact of agrovoltaic systems in Côte d’Ivoire as a sustainable solution to reconcile renewable solar energy production and increased agricultural productivity, and shows the commitment of Côte d’Ivoire towards renewable energies and examines how agrovoltaic integrates into this strategy, thus creating a dual opportunity: energy production and the preservation of arable land. In addition, the study highlights the crucial role of technological innovation in ensuring the economic sustainability of these production systems. These advances contribute not only to improving agricultural productivity, but also to increasing the profitability of agrovoltaic installations and reducing fossil fuels.