Theoretical, technical and economic potential of APV installations in West Pomeranian Voivodeship (Poland)

The aim of the article is to analyse the theoretical, technical, and economic potential of agrophotovoltaic (APV) installations in the West Pomeranian Voivodeship (Poland) based on climatic data, agricultural land resources, and technological simulations. The specific aim of the study was to determine the theoretical, geographical, technical and economic potential of APV installations in the West Pomeranian Voivodeship based on climate data, land-use structure and technological simulation results. The study shows that the annual energy production of the designed APV installation may reach 454–560 [MWh/ha], which, when using less than 1% of agricultural land, could fully meet the total electricity demand of farms in the analysed region. This indicates a high potential for integrating agriculture and energy production within the same area. The main limitation for the development of solar energy is the insufficient capacity of the existing power grid, which is not adapted to new renewable energy sources. The economic analysis confirms the profitability of APV investments in the context of rising energy prices and highlights their potential role in producing green hydrogen and supporting renewable energy development in Poland. The conclusions emphasise the need to modernise the energy infrastructure and introduce legislative changes to unlock the APV potential in Poland.