Dynamics of greenhouse gas emissions and soil health in integrated systems with solar panels (agrivoltaics)

• Grant number: 25/25105-7
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Program to Stimulate Scientific Vocations
• Start date: February 01, 2026
• End date: March 15, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Agronomy - Soil Science
• Principal Investigator: Maurício Roberto Cherubin
• Grantee: Andrielly Antunes dos Reis Carvalho
• Host Institution: Escola Superior de Agricultura Luiz de Queiroz (ESALQ). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Piracicaba , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The project aims to quantify greenhouse gas fluxes (N¿O and CO¿) and assess biological indicators of soil health in agrovoltaic systems under soybean-maize succession. The study will be conducted in a pilot agrovoltaic experiment at ESALQ/USP, in Piracicaba (SP), comparing five land-use systems, including combinations of photovoltaic panels with crops and pastures. Greenhouse gas emissions will be measured weekly using automated analyzers, along with records of environmental variables. In parallel, soil microbial carbon, microbial respiration, and enzymatic activities (¿-glucosidase and arylsulfatase) will be analyzed as indicators of biological activity. Integrating these data will allow the identification of how photovoltaic panels and agricultural management affect soil microbiota and gas emissions, contributing to sustainable practices that reconcile agricultural production with clean energy generation. The project also includes technical training and the preparation of a scientific report.