Agrivoltaic systems offer symbiotic benefits across the water-energy-food-environment nexus in West Africa: A systematic review

Abstract

Solar photovoltaic technology is a suitable solution to meet water, energy, and food needs, improving people's living conditions, especially in remote Sub-Saharan Africa, while mitigating environmental impact. However, the speedy development of PV systems leads to competition for land resources between energy and agriculture. Hence, adopting agrivoltaic systems (AVS) can help ensure access to safe water, clean and affordable energy, and high-quality food for the growing population. Compared to the global north, there are few AVS projects in Africa, and minimal research and development have been undertaken within the West Africa (WA) region. This paper presents a comprehensive desk review examining the water-energy-food-environment nexus status in West African countries, emphasizing the potential of AVS in achieving sustainable development goals. This study underscores the significance of AVS based on land availability and photovoltaic targets. Further, it provides insights into ongoing AVS research initiatives in the WA region and discusses the opportunities and challenges associated with its implementation. Overall, the findings demonstrate that this emerging technology holds promise in WA, particularly in countries with limited land resources and ambitious sustainable energy goals. The paper's findings help inform solar developers, agriculture experts, land use planners, and governments to make informed decisions to effectively integrate agriculture and solar energy in WA toward achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG).