Study for an Agrivoltaic based Rural Energy Community in Alentejo Portugal

Abstract

We present a study for the creation of a rural renewable energy community (REC) based on an agrivoltaic (or AgriPV) plant in the Portuguese region of Alentejo. The REC includes an AgriPV power plant with two different configurations, overhead and interspatial with a total capacity of 175 kW, located at the university campus in Nossa Senhora de Tourega. The community encloses the university campus and the neighbouring village of Valverde. The daily energy production profiles of two AgriPV plant configurations are analysed, for a winter and a summer day. These profiles are compared with the consumption profiles of the university campus, and an average household in Évora, and the strategies to maximize the energy community self-consumption are discussed. The main difficulties and advantages of managing agricultural activities and selling agricultural products in the energy community are also examined.