Ecovoltaics in an increasingly water-limited world: An ecological perspective

Ground-mounted photovoltaic (PV) arrays have proliferated worldwide as a cost-effective renewable energy source. Their large footprint, however, conflicts with alternative land uses. In response, dual-use approaches that combine solar with agriculture (agrivoltaics) or ecosystem services more broadly (ecovoltaics) have been proposed. Ecovoltaic arrays, designed to incorporate ecological principles and co-prioritize ecosystem services with energy generation, are conceptually appealing, but examples of how ecological understanding can modify utility-scale PV designs are lacking. Here, we review our understanding of the ecophysiological controls of primary productivity, a foundational ecosystem function. From this, we provide an ecological underpinning for an alternative approach to PV arrays—one that prioritizes delivering sunlight to plants when photosynthetic potential is greatest but prioritizes energy generation when shade from PV panels can potentially alleviate plant stress. This ecovoltaic approach is most compatible with water-limited ecosystems today but will become more broadly applicable as climate change increases aridity and drought worldwide.