Agro-Solar
The perfect synergy between agriculture and renewable energy
Agro-Solar is a smart, dual-use model that integrates advanced field crop agriculture with solar-generated electricity on the same land. By using each acre efficiently for both farming and energy production, the model gives farmers complete flexibility in crop planning and day-to-day operations while helping preserve open spaces and Israel’s landscape.
Agro-Solar projects also create room for innovative farming technologies inside the solar array, strengthening existing agricultural activity rather than replacing it. Farmers can adjust crop plans dynamically across multiple growing cycles each year, learn quickly and improve over time, and keep using existing machinery and equipment. The model also supports the integration of innovative tools to enhance precision in farming, in partnership with leading professional and technology partners.
Enlight leads the Agro-Solar field crop segment in Israel, developing projects that combine advanced agriculture with renewable energy nationwide.
Agro-Solar Pioneering
Moshav Yesha
In 2024, Enlight launched an Agro-Solar project for field crops at Moshav Yesha in Israel’s Western Negev. Within an active agricultural field, crops including wheat, sweet potatoes, potatoes, onions, and more are grown between rows of solar panels across multiple growing cycles.
The result is a system where agriculture and renewable energy support each other, strengthening the region’s food security and agricultural strength. Data is collected and analyzed at Enlight’s R&D center, with ongoing expert oversight. Results to date indicate high yields that significantly exceed regulatory requirements.
In addition to the Agro-Solar array, the site includes large-scale energy storage facilities and a ground-mounted solar facility, developed under an integrated master plan for a site that produces green electricity alongside advanced agriculture.
Crop cycles in the Yesha Project
Wheat
Sweet Potatoes
Iftah Flour
The first wheat harvest in the Yesha Project was dedicated to the memory of the late Captain Iftah Yavetz, a Maglan operations officer who fell in a heroic battle at Nahal Oz on October 7, 2023. Iftah’s words, which have become part of his legacy, appear on the flour packaging: “Easy roads don’t lead to exceptional places.”
This flour is more than a kitchen ingredient. It is a symbol of hope, food security, and energy security. It represents the spirit of Israeli farmers and entrepreneurs who believe there is no easy path to reaching special and groundbreaking destinations.
Enlight brings its renewable energy expertise into the agricultural space through an Agro-Solar model that combines green electricity generation with active farming on the same land. Instead of choosing between agricultural use and energy use, the combination creates a smart dual use system that uses land more efficiently. Farming continues to produce high quality crops, while the same site generates renewable energy that strengthens Israel’s energy security. This approach is often referred to internationally as agrivoltaics.
Field crops are especially well suited for Agro-Solar projects for several reasons. They offer flexibility in varieties and a wide range of crop types, support rapid learning thanks to short time to harvest, and maintain a low visual footprint that enables strong land utilization for both farming and electricity generation. In addition, local cultivation of crops, many of which are currently imported, supports stable, high quality produce and strengthens food security, while advancing Israeli agriculture.
Enlight’s Agro-Solar model includes features designed to protect crop quality and support strong yields. Sun tracking can be managed to balance shade and sunlight based on crop needs throughout the season. In addition, the system is designed to perform in extreme climate conditions and can help protect crops from a range of weather related impacts.
Enlight has an Agro Department that leads applied research, identifies and implements new technologies, advances collaborations, and develops engineering structures and solutions. The department supports our partners throughout all stages of the project, providing professional knowledge, guidance, and ongoing support from planning through routine operations.
We are evaluating the integration of advanced agritech solutions within our Agro-Solar facilities. Today, the system already incorporates solutions for shade management, smart irrigation, soil monitoring, advanced spraying, remote sensing, crop growth tracking, smart washing robots, and AI based tools for management and optimization.
Our system offers high flexibility and is suitable for a wide variety of more than 40 types of field crops. The crop plan is built together with local farm management and in accordance with Israel’s Ministry of Agriculture protocols.
Installing solar panels in field crops does not require new agricultural tools or changes in working methods. The panels are installed at a height and spacing that allow existing agricultural machinery to pass, and panel movement can be adjusted to align with cultivation needs throughout the year.
Enlight has extensive experience advancing plans before local and regional planning committees, as well as Israel’s National Infrastructure Committee. Enlight’s statutory and regulatory team leads complex development processes and demonstrates execution capabilities throughout all stages of a project.