Agrivoltaic development decisions are strongest when farm suitability and transmission access are evaluated together.
Industry
Renewable energy and agricultural land development
Core challenge
Finding farms with both strong solar suitability and practical grid interconnection options
Approach
Geospatial suitability modeling combined with transmission proximity and corridor analysis
The Problem
A renewable energy developer exploring opportunities for agrivoltaic systems (solar installations integrated with agricultural production) needed to evaluate potential sites across a large agricultural region. Many farms met the requirements for solar installations, but not all locations were equally viable from an infrastructure or environmental perspective.
Successful agrivoltaic projects depend on several spatial factors. Solar radiation levels influence energy production potential, while terrain conditions affect construction feasibility. Importantly, projects must be located near infrastructure capable of delivering generated electricity to the grid.
In many cases, farms with strong solar potential were located far from existing transmission lines or substations. Connecting these sites to the grid could require costly new infrastructure. At the same time, existing transmission corridors needed ongoing monitoring to ensure that new solar generation could be integrated reliably.
The developer needed a systematic way to evaluate large numbers of potential farm locations, identify the most promising areas for agrivoltaic development, and understand how new solar assets would interact with the surrounding transmission network.
QSC’s Modeling Approach
QSC developed a geospatial modeling framework to evaluate potential agrivoltaic sites and analyze their relationship to the existing infrastructure.
The system integrates multiple spatial datasets, including solar radiation estimates, terrain elevation models, land cover data, agricultural land classifications, and the locations of existing transmission lines and substations. These datasets were combined within a geospatial analysis environment that allowed each factor to be evaluated across the landscape.
Using these inputs, QSC developed a spatial suitability model to estimate the viability of agrivoltaic development at different farm locations. Areas with strong solar radiation, favorable terrain conditions, and appropriate agricultural land use receive higher suitability scores.
The model also incorporates proximity to transmission infrastructure. Farms located near existing transmission lines or substations are more favorable for development because they can connect to the grid with lower development costs.
In addition to identifying candidate locations, the system evaluates the surrounding electricity network to understand how new solar assets might interact with existing infrastructure. Spatial analyses help highlight areas where clusters of new solar installations place additional demands on transmission capacity.
To support operational planning, QSC developed an interactive mapping software that allows analysts and project planners to explore suitability maps and transmission systems simultaneously. Users can visualize potential agrivoltaic sites, evaluate solar potential, and examine nearby transmission assets within the same system.
Decision Support in Practice
The geospatial modeling system provides the developer with a regional view of where agrivoltaic projects were most likely to succeed.
Suitability maps highlight farms with favorable solar potential and practical grid connectivity, allowing project planners to focus early site evaluations on the most promising areas. Instead of manually evaluating individual properties across the region, planners identify clusters of suitable locations where agrivoltaic development is likely to be both technically and economically viable.
The spatial analyses help the developer understand how new solar installations might interact with the existing transmission network. By mapping proposed development areas alongside transmission infrastructure, planners can identify where upgrades or additional monitoring might be required.
The same geospatial tools also support electric infrastructure management. Transmission lines serving potential solar development zones are prioritized for inspection and maintenance, ensuring that the network remains capable of supporting new agrivoltaic setups.
By linking solar development planning with transmission infrastructure analysis, the system helps align renewable energy expansion with grid reliability considerations.
Outcome
The most significant improvement is the ability to evaluate agrivoltaic opportunities across the landscape in a structured and data-driven way.
Instead of relying on ad-hoc site evaluations, the developer gained a spatial framework for identifying farms with strong solar potential and practical grid connectivity. This allows early project development efforts to focus on the most viable locations.
The integration of transmission infrastructure analysis also improves long-term planning. By understanding how new solar assets might interact with the existing grid, the developer anticipates infrastructure needs and prioritizes maintenance of key corridors.
The result was not simply a set of maps. It was a geospatial decision-support system that connected agricultural land use, renewable energy potential, and infrastructure planning to guide the development of new agrivoltaic projects.