Original Article

Agrivoltaics in practice: forms and drivers of conflicts

¹ Univ. Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, Grenoble INP, G2Elab, 21 Av. des Martyrs, 38000 Grenoble, France
² Univ. Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, Grenoble INP, ISTerre, 1381 Rue de la Piscine, 38610 Gières, France

^* e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Received: 30 November 2025
Accepted: 15 April 2026
Published online: 13 May 2026

Abstract

Agrivoltaics has been expanding rapidly in France, but its deployment is accompanied by increasing public controversy. France represents a particularly relevant case due to its advanced regulatory framework, making it a useful laboratory for anticipating future conflicts in other countries. Drawing on an original database of 292 agrivoltaic projects, including 65 that have given rise to conflicts, this study analyses the nature and determinants of these oppositions. The results show that installed capacity is a significant factor: large-scale projects are more frequently contested. Conversely, the type of technology does not, overall, influence whether a project becomes contested. A qualitative analysis of 68 documents covering 54 cases of conflict identifies six different categories of conflicts. Most conflicts appear to be multifactorial. The study thus highlights that agrivoltaic controversies extend far beyond the agronomic issues traditionally anticipated and that these dimensions must be integrated into the design strategies governing agrivoltaics.