"Photovoltaic energy is no longer just about installed capacity; it has become a challenge of territorial integration"

Photovoltaic energy is no longer merely a question of installed capacity, generation costs or technological efficiency. It has evolved into a challenge of integrating renewable energy with the territory, agriculture and existing infrastructures.

This is the main conclusion drawn by Emilio Muñoz Cerón, coordinator of the thematic panel «Agrivoltaics, Photovoltaic Systems and Energy Transition», held during the 30th International Congress on Project Management and Engineering (CIDIP / ICPME 2026).

In his view, innovation only creates real value when it addresses genuine challenges, improves project sustainability and demonstrates its viability from technical, economic, environmental and social perspectives, while incorporating a long-term life-cycle approach.

The panel, coordinated by Emilio Muñoz, Professor of Engineering Projects at the University of Jaén and an expert in renewable energy, brought together six papers exploring the role of photovoltaic energy as one of the key tools for advancing the energy transition.

The session was built around a shared premise: photovoltaics is no longer simply about installed capacity, costs or conversion efficiency. Having demonstrated its technological maturity, competitiveness and deployment potential, the main challenge now lies in integrating photovoltaic systems sustainably into the territory, existing infrastructures, the energy system and agricultural activities, balancing technological innovation, economic viability and long-term sustainability.

The session opened with two presentations on floating photovoltaics. Ana Fernández-Guillamón presented a study assessing the potential for installing floating photovoltaic systems on Spanish hydroelectric reservoirs, while Juan Francisco Canalejo Rodríguez discussed an experimental analysis of the influence of soiling on the operation of a floating photovoltaic system.

Next, Francisco Javier Martínez Solano presented a proposal for integrating hybrid energy systems into pumping stations for collective irrigation networks. This was followed by Ángel Campos-González, who addressed the sustainability of agrivoltaic systems through the analysis of support structures and photovoltaic modules. The fifth presentation, delivered by Miguel Sánchez, focused on the influence of bifacial module arrangement on the real performance of photovoltaic installations.

Finally, the session concluded with Marta Terrados-Cristos, who presented a prospective life cycle assessment of a self-consumption photovoltaic plant within the context of the expected evolution of the Spanish electricity mix through to 2050.

Several important conclusions emerged from both the presentations and the subsequent discussion, which Emilio Muñoz, the panel moderator, summarises below:

• Photovoltaics is seeking new spaces in response to increasing pressure on land

One of the recurring themes throughout the panel was the need to rethink where and how photovoltaic systems should be deployed. In recent years, the rapid expansion of large-scale solar plants has generated debate in many regions, particularly where such developments compete with agricultural land use or significantly alter the landscape.

In this context, floating photovoltaics and agrivoltaics emerged as particularly promising alternatives. They should not simply be viewed as new technological concepts, but rather as responses to the challenge of territorial integration. Floating photovoltaics explores the use of existing hydraulic infrastructures such as reservoirs, dams and irrigation ponds, while agrivoltaics promotes a closer coexistence between electricity generation and agricultural production.

However, the discussion made it clear that these solutions must be evaluated rigorously. Occupying a new type of space does not automatically mean a project is better integrated. In agrivoltaic systems, project value depends on achieving genuine compatibility between energy production, agricultural activity, microclimatic conditions, water management and farm profitability.

• Floating photovoltaics offers significant opportunities but requires dedicated design and operational criteria

The first two presentations examined floating photovoltaics from two complementary perspectives. One introduced a GIS-based methodology for identifying suitable surfaces on hydroelectric reservoirs while considering technical and operational constraints to ensure compatibility with hydropower generation and water management.

The second presentation showed that soiling behaviour in Mediterranean floating photovoltaic systems differs substantially from that of ground-mounted installations. Low module tilt angles, uneven particle accumulation, biological deposits and the only partial cleaning effect of rainfall all demonstrate the need for operation and maintenance strategies specifically adapted to floating systems.

One of the panel’s key messages was that innovation in photovoltaics cannot stop at conceptual design or identifying new locations. It must be supported by experimental evidence, appropriate monitoring and operational strategies tailored to each environment.

• The water-energy-agriculture nexus requires an integrated project approach

The presentation on hybrid energy systems for irrigation pumping stations directly connected photovoltaic development with the energy needs of the agricultural sector. Irrigation accounts for a significant proportion of water consumption and often requires considerable electrical energy for pumping.

The coincidence between peak irrigation demand and maximum solar resource availability creates an excellent opportunity for photovoltaic integration. However, the main contribution of this paper was to argue that solar energy should not be added as an afterthought to existing pumping stations but incorporated as a design variable from the earliest stages of project development.

This requires coordinated decisions regarding pump selection, installed capacity, energy strategy, operating speed, demand profiles, grid support and, increasingly, energy storage. The energy transition in agriculture is therefore not merely an electrical issue but one of integrated hydraulic, energy and agricultural infrastructure design.

• Agrivoltaics must deliver genuine value to agriculture

Although only one paper focused specifically on agrivoltaics, the subject remained central throughout the discussion. Agrivoltaics has largely emerged as a response to the tension between renewable energy deployment and agricultural land use. However, its justification cannot rely solely on the physical sharing of land.

The presentation on sustainability assessment demonstrated that design choices have significant environmental consequences. Material selection for support structures, reuse of existing supports, timber instead of steel, or semi-transparent photovoltaic modules all influence environmental impacts. Furthermore, some solutions that improve one environmental indicator may worsen others, reinforcing the importance of comprehensive life cycle assessments.

The discussion highlighted that agrivoltaics should ultimately be evaluated according to the added value it brings to agriculture. This may include reducing evaporation, improving crop conditions, mitigating thermal or water stress, diversifying farmers’ income or increasing farm resilience. The real question is therefore not simply whether an agrivoltaic installation produces electricity, but whether it enhances—or at least does not compromise—the agricultural function of the land.

• Bifacial technology confirms the importance of design details

The presentation on bifacial modules introduced a more technological perspective while remaining closely linked to project engineering. Although bifacial modules are already widely adopted, their actual performance depends on variables that are not always fully considered during project design.

Module arrangement, plant geometry, albedo, rear-side irradiance and array configuration all significantly influence system performance. Real operating data therefore provides valuable practical information for improving future photovoltaic designs.

This paper reinforced another cross-cutting conclusion of the panel: commercial maturity does not eliminate the need to characterise real operating behaviour. As photovoltaic deployment accelerates, design details remain essential for improving performance, reducing uncertainty and avoiding decisions based solely on standard assumptions.

• Sustainability must be assessed from a life-cycle and future-oriented perspective

The final presentation focused on the prospective life cycle assessment of an industrial self-consumption photovoltaic plant. Its main contribution was to move beyond static environmental assessments by placing the project within the expected evolution of the Spanish electricity mix between 2025 and 2050.

This perspective is particularly relevant because photovoltaic systems are designed to operate for several decades. Their environmental impacts should therefore be assessed not only according to today’s energy context but also considering future scenarios involving decarbonisation, manufacturing, transport, construction, operation, maintenance and end-of-life management.

The discussion also addressed the increasingly important role of battery storage. As photovoltaic projects face curtailment, negative electricity prices, technical constraints and refinancing challenges, energy storage is becoming a key factor in ensuring economic viability.

However, batteries will also alter the environmental profile of photovoltaic systems and must therefore be rigorously incorporated into future life cycle assessments.

• The challenge is not simply to innovate, but to demonstrate when innovation creates value

One of the most stimulating moments of the discussion arose from a question posed to the panel: are we designing technically brilliant systems that remain commercially niche solutions? The question sparked an engaging debate, including critical observations from the audience regarding some of these emerging technologies.

The discussion revealed a genuine tension.

On one hand, floating photovoltaics, agrivoltaics, hybrid systems and certain bifacial configurations involve greater technical complexity, higher initial investment and new operational and maintenance uncertainties.

On the other hand, they may generate value that is not always reflected in conventional economic indicators, including reduced pressure on agricultural land, lower evaporation losses, better integration with irrigation systems, improved use of existing infrastructures, enhanced crop conditions and greater adaptability within the electricity system.

The panel therefore concluded that these solutions are not inherently superior in every situation. Rather, they must be assessed on a case-by-case basis. Innovation is worthwhile when it solves real problems, creates value for the territory and improves the overall viability of projects. The objective is not to add complexity for its own sake, but to design solutions better adapted to their technical, economic, environmental and social context.

Ultimately, the panel demonstrated that photovoltaics has entered a new stage of maturity—but also of greater responsibility. A successful photovoltaic project can no longer be judged solely by installed capacity, expected electricity generation or investment cost.

It must also be evaluated according to its territorial integration, compatibility with other land uses, operational performance, long-term sustainability, social acceptance and ability to create value beyond electricity generation.

Project Management and Engineering has a fundamental role to play in organising this complexity, integrating both technical and non-technical criteria, anticipating risks and transforming innovation into viable, sustainable and valuable solutions for society and the territory.