California's Mobile Agrivoltaics

Mobile Agrivoltaic Systems for California Agriculture: A Techno-Economic Analysis of Excess Power Utilization

American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers | Amir Kouravand, Mohammadmehdi Maharlooei, and Reza Ehsani 

2026 Conference Paper | July 12, 2026

Abstract 

Agrivoltaics (AgPV), the co-location of photovoltaic solar panels with agricultural production, offers a promising strategy to simultaneously address food security, water stress, and renewable energy generation. Existing fixed agrivoltaic installations, however, are constrained by high structural costs, inflexibility across crop types and terrain, and significant permitting requirements. This paper presents the design and energy analysis of a novel Mobile Agrivoltaic (MAV) platform engineered to overcome these limitations. Annual PV production is estimated at 64,472 kWh, with a primary load of 1,560 kWh/yr, yielding 63,290 kWh of annual excess energy. Two revenue-generating pathways for this surplus are evaluated: (1) on-farm EV and electric tractor charging stations and (2) grid energy sales. A single MAV unit achieves a Cost of Energy (COE) of $0.185/kWh and an 80% renewable energy fraction (RF) with zero unmet load, capable of serving 6 -7 EV charging sessions per day. A three-unit integrated deployment maintains nearly identical COE and RF while significantly amplifying system capacity, delivering higher power output and supporting Level-3 fast charging, serving over 18 EV sessions on peak summer days. Together, these results confirm the strong technical and economic viability of the MAV platform for California farm operators.

Obtain the full text and analysis from ASABE ($) here.