By Olivia Wu, Alessio Scalisi, Lexie K McClymont and Ian Goodwin– Agriculture Victoria

•Pear sunburn drops sharply under agrivoltaics, while also generating energy for irrigation and boosting sustainability.

•Solar panels reduce blush in bi-colour pears, impacting marketability. 

•Dynamic shading or partial block-out solutions are needed to balance colour formation and sunburn protection.

Blazing summer afternoon sun can turn a perfect fruit into a sun-scorched disaster.

For apple and pear growers, too much sun can be a costly problem, as bleached, sunburned fruit won’t make the premium grade.

But what if that harsh sunlight could be put to work instead of causing damage? 

At Agriculture Victoria’s Tatura SmartFarm, researchers are testing agrivoltaics – solar panels placed over a pear orchard –to create afternoon shade while producing clean energy.

Early results show a dramatic reduction in fruit surface temperature, reducing sunburn damage to near zero.

Beyond protecting against sun damage, these solar panels may offer another critical benefit – shielding orchards from hail.

Could solar panels be the next essential tool for orchardists battling climate extremes?

Balancing light and shade: experimental setup

Designing an agrivoltaic experiment above orchards requires careful planning – factors such as panel angle, height, and placement all influence how much light reaches the fruit below.

Sunburn damage occurs when the fruit surface temperature reaches harmful levels over a prolonged period, so even short-term shading by the panels in the afternoon could help lower the temperature and reduce the risk of sunburn.

By adjusting these variables, researchers aim to determine the optimal configuration which balances sun protection with fruit quality.

In 2020, Tatura SmartFarm scientists initiated a trial with 120 panels mounted 3.5m above a block of ‘ANP-0118’ blush pears (marketed as Lanya).

Three treatments are being tested:

1. 45° west-facing panels positioned to increase canopy shading in the afternoon.

2.5° west-facing panels positioned to increase canopy shading around solar noon.

3. A control group with no panels.

In 2021–22, 2022–23 and 2023–24, mild summer conditions did not allow the full assessment of the sunburn protection mechanisms expressed by the agrivoltaics system.

With a combination of high temperature and radiation, the 2024-25 season has provided a good case study to decipher solar panel potential to mitigate sunburn damage in blush pears.

Less sunburn, more potential 

Early findings are promising. Without solar panel protection,7 per cent of fruit suffered sunburn damage (sunburn +bleaching), as shown in Figure 3. Under the two solar panel treatments, just 0.6-1.0 per cent of pears were affected (Table 1). That’s not all.

The energy from the solar panels is stored in batteries to power an irrigation pump, with excess energy fed back into the grid.

If scaled up to a hectare of coverage, the agrivoltaics configurations at Tatura would generate an average of 1176.5MWh per year and contribute to a 940 tonne CO2reduction per year – triple win: healthier fruit, lower energy costs, and a step towards more sustainable farming.

What about fruit colour?

Fruits like red apples, red pears and blush pears rely on sunlight to develop their vibrant colour.

Insufficient exposure to sunlight may delay the colouring process and reduce blush coverage.

At the Tatura SmartFarm, ‘ANP-0118’ blush pears (marketed as Lanya) thrive on a delicate balance – enough sunlight to develop their sought-after red hue, but not so much that they risk scorching.

Table 2 shows the distribution of blush grades under 45°, 5° and control conditions, offering a perspective on how solar panels affect blush.

An 18-21 per cent blush reduction was observed for 45° and 5°, respectively. The results highlight that under the solar panels, a larger proportion of the fruit fell into the ‘reject’ category, which is representative of fruit with less than 10 per cent blush.

The lower blush coverage under the 45° and 5° panels, led to fewer pears reaching the premium ‘Class 1’ grade, which requires more than 20 per cent blush.

Weighing the benefits: is it worth it?

Agrivoltaics is still in the testing phase for orchards, but the potential benefits are clear:

Lower sunburn losses– less fruit wastage, higher pack-out rates

•Better resilience– protection from extreme heat, wind, and hail.

•Dual land use– generate solar energy while maintaining fruit production.

•Water savings– lower evapotranspiration, more efficient irrigation.

•On-farm energy savings– o set power costs with solar.

While the solar panels proved effective in mitigating sunburn, they also cast a shadow on fruit colour.

For cultivars where premium blush is essential, this trade-off is of paramount importance.

In addition, hailstorms are becoming an increasing threat to fruit growers in the Goulburn Valley and other Australian production regions, often causing significant crop losses. As extreme weather events become more frequent, Agrivoltaic systems could help safeguard orchard profitability.

However, installation costs remain a key factor for adoption. The upfront investment in photovoltaic panels, mounting structures, and battery storage is significant.

To make agrivoltaics a viable option for growers, cost-effective engineering solutions – such as lightweight modular panels, adaptable mounting systems, and optimised solar tracking mechanisms – need to be explored.

Additionally, financial incentives, subsidies, or partnerships with energy companies could help offset initial costs.

In the long term, the ability to reduce fruit losses and generate on-farm renewable energy may justify the investment, but further economic analysis is required to re ne the cost-bene t balance.

To mitigate impacts on fruit colour, blush, and overall quality, research should focus on dynamic solar panels that adjust shading based on real-time weather data. Integrating innovative agrivoltaic tools to the crop light requirements– like dual-axis tracking systems and tuneable spectral-splitting modules – could enhance efficiency and adaptability.

Fixed, full block-out solar panels may be more suitable for apple and pear cultivars with green–yellow peel, as red pigmentation loss would be less of a concern.

Ensuring economic feasibility through scalable, cost-effective implementation strategies is essential for wider adoption.

For solar panels to truly revolutionise orchard management, advancements in photovoltaic technology must continue to evolve.

Could solar panels be the next big thing in orchards?

Time will tell – but for now, their potential shines bright.