It was published in the magazine Electricity (July/August 2025) the article signed by Lorenza Panunzi which explores how agrivoltaic, digital agriculture And satellite observation can be integrated into athe only intelligent infrastructure in the area, capable of producing energy, food and data in sustainable way.
Why agriculture and energy must converge
The climate change, the scarcity of water resources and the objectives of decarbonization make it necessary a new vision. Agriculture and energy, two historically separate sectors, are today called to dialogue and build integrated production models.
Agrivoltaics: energy and crops together
Agrivoltaics allows you to grow and produce solar energy in the same space, thanks to elevated structures which do not impede agricultural activities. In Italy it is regulated by Ministerial Decree 436/2022 and the more recent Ministerial Decree on Agrivoltaics of 2023, with stringent requirements: maintenance of agricultural productivity, continuous monitoring, high modules and landscape compatibility.
These solutions can improve land use and, in some cases, even the agricultural yields thanks to controlled shading that reduces thermal and water stress. However, there remain challenges regarding authorization and social acceptance, where objective data becomes crucial.
Digital Agriculture: Data for Better Decisions
Digital agriculture, or 4.0, integrates sensors, artificial intelligence And cloud platforms to optimize resources, increase productivity and reduce environmental impact.
Today in Italy the market exceeds 2.3 billion euros, but its diffusion is still limited to more structured companies.
The most widespread applications include:
• Decision support systems (irrigation, defense, sowing)
• Management software for traceability
• Vigour and productivity maps from satellites
Challenges and opportunities are intertwined: access to technologies, interoperability of platforms, data governance.
The role of precision agriculture in agrivoltaics
The national guidelines reiterate the importance of precision agriculture techniques for optimize yields and reduce inputs.
Concrete benefits: more efficient use of water, reduction of fertilizers and pesticides, early detection of plant diseases, more targeted harvests.
There digitalization it is therefore confirmed that ally to make the agrivoltaic systems sustainable And monitorable objectively.
TETHYS: satellite observation without ground sensors
TETHYS brings satellite observation to the service of agricultural companies without the need to install sensors in the field.
The information comes from multispectral satellite imagery (Sentinel 2 and Landsat 8 and 9) and proprietary agronomic models.
The platform offers three main modules:
WATCH: vegetation monitoring and NDVI maps;
WATER: irrigation advice based on water balance;
GROW: biomass estimation and yield forecasts.
Already adopted by agricultural companies, land reclamation consortia and agri-food industries, TETHYS is accessible via browser and designed to be simple, scalable And scientifically sound.
TETHYS for agrivoltaics
In agrivoltaic systems, TETHYS is a key tool for:
• Demonstrate the crop continuity
• Document the water savings
• Estimating biomass and the absorption of CO₂,
• Distinguish the plant's impacts from extreme weather events.
This approach allows for integrate objective data into authorization procedures and of accompany the entire life cycle of the systems, from project to operational management.
Agrivoltaics, digital agriculture And orsatellite observation constitute a new intelligent infrastructure for the territory.
Their integration can enhance the multifunctionality of soils and support scalable and sustainable production models, both on agricultural plan That energetic.
Instruments such as TETHYS represent the ilightweight yet strategic interface to enable this transition: concrete, measurable, evidence-based.
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