Recording of Tuesday, June 23, 2026 | The smarter E Europe Conferences 2026 | Language: English | Duration: 14:42 .

Agri-PV Projects at Total Energy: Development, Challenges, and Innovation

Total Energy Renewable France is concentrating on enhancing its Agri-PV strategy through two pilot projects over four years of agronomical results. Following its acquisition of Umbrea in 2023, the company is aligning its approach with the French law Aperleau, which mandates that Agri-PV projects must not reduce crop yield by more than 10%. Market challenges, including low energy prices and limited project sizes, necessitate strategic adaptations. Pilot projects in central France are utilizing vertical panel technology to integrate agricultural innovation with community support. There is a significant variability in yield results between Agri-PV zones and control zones, influenced by factors such as soil type and management systems; however, overall yields remain above the 10% decrease threshold. A technical team from Umbrea within TotalEnergies focuses on bridging agronomy expertise with utility-scale projects, aiming for solutions that address farmer needs while optimizing costs. Effective design integration is essential, ensuring both agricultural productivity and photovoltaic output are maximized, while partnerships with cooperatives enhance research and development. Total Energy's shift towards Agri-PV now accounts for 60% of its project pipeline, demonstrating a significant cultural and organizational transformation.

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Speaker

Samuel Roy
Manager Agronomic Expertise
TotalEnergies
France

Etienne Mercier
Manager AgriPV Technical Team
TotalEnergies
France

Talk of session: Unlocking Dual Land Use: Scaling Agricultural PV Through Viable Business Models

Agricultural PV has been moving from pilot to scale, combining food and power production while addressing land scarcity and climate pressure. Yet large-scale deployment is still constrained as it depends on clear policy frameworks, viable business cases, and proven system concepts. Taking inspiration from global developments, this session explores Europe's market potential, diverse applications from livestock to greenhouses, and the economic drivers shaping profitable agriculturalPV projects.

This session will address:

• Agricultural PV outlook and key business enablers for scale-up
• Real-world case studies
• Progressive policy frameworks in major agricultural PV markets
• System design options and corresponding business model approaches
• Economic, technical and agricultural requirements for utility-scale projects

Further Talks of this session:

Intro + Kickoff: The Global Agrivoltaics Scale-Up: Potentials, Status and Key Business Enabler

Speaker

Jochen Hauff
Ambassador Agrivoltaics
Global Solar Council
United Kingdom

To Talk

From Gras to Sheep

Speaker

Emma Azeau
Senior R&D Advisor - AgriPower Initiative Leader
Statkraft
Germany

To Talk

From Sheep to Cows: Experience From a Cow-Pv Project in Germany and Its Potential in Europe

Speaker

Dr. Stephan Schindele
Agrivoltaics Expert

To Talk

Fruit-PV: Agronomic Considerations and Solution Scalability

Speaker

David Schuppisser
Chief Commercial Officer
Insolight SA
Switzerland

To Talk

Panel Discussion

To Talk