Israeli, French team-up to see 2 agrivoltaics pilots by end of year

A strategic cooperation between TeraLight and Sun'Agri will promote joint projects with Moshavim and farmers

 Sun'Agri agrovoltaic project in France. (photo credit: Sun'Agri, France)
Sun'Agri agrovoltaic project in France.
(photo credit: Sun'Agri, France)

Israeli renewable energy company TeraLight and France’s Sun’Agri have announced a strategic cooperation in Israel’s field of agrivoltaics, which deals with the symbiotic relationship between solar panels and crops to improve the performance of both. The collaboration will promote joint projects with farmers and agricultural communities. The companies plan to conduct two agrivoltaic pilots by the end of 2023.

The partnership will see TeraLight’s solar-energy project development and construction capabilities combined with Sun’Agri’s dynamic solar-field management software. The software works in real time to strike the perfect balance between plant needs and electricity production by controlling the angle of panels to offer dynamic shading and microclimate control.

“This strategic partnership with Sun’Agri will enable TeraLight to offer moshavim, kibbutzim and agricultural landowners all over Israel a significant value proposition,” said TeraLight CEO Rani Lifshitz.

"This strategic partnership with Sun'Agri will enable TeraLight to offer Moshavim, Kibbutzim and agricultural land owners all over Israel a significant value proposition.”

Rani Lifshitz

“In this framework, TeraLight will bring its capabilities in the field of building solar projects, as well as its connections with the moshav movement. Sun’Agri, being a company with extensive experience in the field of agrivoltaics in France, with many projects connected to the electricity grid, will bring to the partnership the proven experience, technological solutions and professional knowledge in the field of agrivoltaics and together we will build a significant backlog of projects in Israel,” Lifshitz said.

Solar energy development

With a backlog of about 1,300 megawatts of projects in Israel, TeraLight is one of the leading companies in the field of solar-energy initiation and development. It invests in companies in Israel and around the world that develop technological innovations in renewable energy, electricity storage and energy efficiency.

Solar panels at one of the projects of Enlight Renewable Energy (credit: RACHAF PRO DRONE)
Solar panels at one of the projects of Enlight Renewable Energy (credit: RACHAF PRO DRONE)

Sun’Agri Israel CEO Bar Weiss highlighted the benefit that the two companies’ partnership will present to agriculture in Israel.

“We’re excited to provide our agrivoltaics expertise to the TeraLight team and bring agrivoltaics pilots and projects in Israel to the next stage, faster,” Weiss said. “We share in common a solid track record of high-end innovations, and earned a reputation of excellence. Together, we offer a strong and reassuring [solution] to every farming community willing to launch its agrivoltaics projects, with an emphasis on high-quality agricultural production.”