Mobile Solar Panels Boost Wine Quality, French Study Finds

A French company, Sun'Agri, has been experimenting with mobile solar panels in vineyards and found that they can improve wine quality. The company has been conducting research in southern France, using the panels to create microclimates for the vines. The results show that the grapes produced have lower potential alcohol, higher acidity levels, and better aromatic profiles. The vines are also healthier, yield more, and require less irrigation.

Sun'Agri's deputy director, Nathanaël Kasriel, explained that the panels' shade slows sugar accumulation in the grapes, resulting in lower potential alcohol levels. The cooler temperatures under the panels help preserve acidity, a crucial factor in wine balance. The panels also shift ripening time, allowing for harvesting at optimal maturity under milder temperature conditions.

The company installs the mobile solar panels above crops, and a computer shifts them throughout the day to control the amount of sunlight the plants receive. The panels can either provide shade to protect the crop from climatic hazards or allow photosynthesis. The goal is to produce energy for the region and assist farmers.

The microclimates created by the panels have shown potential for pleasing aromatic profiles. Preliminary results from Tresserre, a part of the Roussillon appellation, in 2023 suggest that dynamic agrivoltaics can enhance desirable aromas in wine. More research is planned with white Viognier grapes at the Rodilhan site starting in 2025 to understand the impact on white wine aroma profiles.

In the 2024 study, the yields were 20 percent to 60 percent higher than the control vineyards, depending on the grape variety. Chardonnay had the highest increase in yields at 60 percent, followed by Marselan (30 percent) and Grenache Blanc (20 percent). The panels also increased humidity, reducing the need to irrigate.

The financial viability of the projects depends on energy prices, the location of solar power facilities, and the sunlight needs of the crops. In the Mediterranean area of France, the agrivoltaics plant is financially viable by itself. The investor of the facility, usually the farmer, a fund, or an independent power producer, gets a positive return on investment. Sun'Agri also receives support from the government as it looks for new ways to transition to farming practices that consume fewer resources and produce reliable crops. The group is studying not only wine grapes but also a wide variety of fruits, vegetables, and grains.