Agrovoltaics in the Iberian Peninsula: Innovation for a Sustainable Future

UNEF and APREN organize the joint conference “Agrovoltaics in the Iberian Peninsula: Innovation for a Sustainable Future”

The Spanish Photovoltaic Union (UNEF) and the Portuguese Association of Renewable Energies (APREN), organize, on January 22 in Badajoz, the meeting “Agrovoltaics in the Iberian Peninsula: innovation for a sustainable future”.

This Iberian initiative, which will take place at the Cajalmendralejo Financial Headquarters, in Badajoz, starting at 9:00 a.m., is aimed at public institutions, media, photovoltaic producers, installation companies and operators of photovoltaic plants, as well as companies or people interested in learning about the sector.

The initiative has confirmed the participation of several important speakers, such as:

Mercedes Morán – Government of Extremadura, Minister of Agriculture, Livestock and Sustainable Development
Raquel Pastor – Regional Government of Extremadura, Director General of Industry, Energy and Mines
Paulo Carmona – DGEG – Directorate General of Energy and Geology, Director General
Juan Eloy Rodríguez – Regional Government of Extremadura, Director General of Community Agricultural Policy
José Luis González – City Council of Badajoz, Managing Director of the Projects, Lighting, Energy Efficiency, Public Transport and Municipal Vehicle Park Office
Pedro Amaral Jorge – APREN, CEO
José Donoso – UNEF, CEO

The event will feature several Iberian panels, dedicated to the following topics:

Agrovoltaic success stories
Agrovoltaic business models
Situation of the agrovoltaic sector and the agricultural perspective in the Iberian Peninsula
Lines of financing and economic support
Research in crops adapted to agrovoltaics

The event aims to offer a comprehensive and innovative view of the reality of agrovoltaics in the Iberian Peninsula. This event will bring together key players in the energy and agricultural sectors, including experts, researchers and institutional representatives, to address the challenges and opportunities of this transformative technology. Through a multidisciplinary approach, success stories, business models and financing strategies will be explored that position agrovoltaics as a sustainable solution for rural development and the energy transition.

Pedro Amaral Jorge, President of APREN, highlighted that “this event represents an important milestone in the collaboration between Portugal and Spain to explore the potential of agrovoltaics. It is a unique opportunity to delve deeper into a topic that is trending in the world of energy, demonstrating how we can combine technological innovation with agricultural sustainability, contributing to the decarbonisation of the Iberian Peninsula and strengthening the resilience of our rural territories.”

José Donoso, CEO of UNEF, stressed that “we are facing a historic opportunity to foster synergy between renewable energy and agriculture. Agrovoltaics not only optimizes land use, but also allows farmers to diversify their income and be key players in the energy transition.”

This initiative is a pioneer in the Iberian context and aims to highlight the double opportunity of combining agricultural practices with solar energy production, promoting a more sustainable future.

You can consult the full program here.

The Portuguese Association of Renewable Energies (APREN) is a non-profit organization, established in October 1988, with the mission of coordinating and representing the common interests of its members in the promotion of Renewable Energies in the electricity sector. APREN works together with official bodies and other similar entities, both nationally and internationally, constituting an instrument of participation in energy and environmental policies through the use and valorisation of natural resources for the production of electricity, especially in the hydroelectric, wind, solar, geothermal, biomass, biogas and urban solid waste fields.

The Spanish Photovoltaic Union (UNEF) is the sector association for photovoltaic solar energy in Spain. Formed by more than 800 companies, entities and groups from the entire value chain of the technology, it represents more than 90% of the activity of the sector in Spain and brings together almost all of it: producers, installers, engineering firms, manufacturers of raw materials, modules and components, distributors and consultants. UNEF also holds the presidency and secretariat of FOTOPLAT, the Spanish technological photovoltaic platform. The platform brings together universities, research centres and companies that are leaders in photovoltaic R&D in Spain.