Akuo to take part in pilot agrivolatic project in Portugal

French renewable power producer and developer Akuo has secured a project to design and install a pilot agrivoltaic facility in Portugal, in collaboration with agricultural research office Agriterra.

The job was awarded by the National Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Portugal, Akuo said Wednesday.

Called Fruitpv, the project will involve the installation of solar photovoltaic (PV) arrays compatible with the Fuji apple tree. Akuo and its partner will design and install the pilot facility in Alcobaca, in the Leiria District of western Portugal. The French firm has pledged to implement several different pilot models in order to find the best-optimised solution that can be replicated on a commercial scale.

The project is financed within the framework of the Portuguese Agenda for Agriculture Innovation with funds from the Recovery and Resilience Plan.

Akuo noted it has been working on solar projects combining agricultural activities since 2009 when it developed its first such project on Reunion Island.

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