Review of Sensor Technologies for Monitoring Agrivoltaic Systems

Abstract

Agrivoltaics (AgriPV) co-locates photovoltaic generation with crops, coupling microclimate, plant physiology and power conversion. This paper assembles an empirical baseline of current monitoring practice via a systematic review of 123 experimental studies (2014–2024). It presents what is measured across meteorological, energy-performance and agricultural domains, how measurements are acquired (manual, automated, hybrid), and how research themes co-occur. The literature shows a higher volume of papers addressing agronomic/environmental effects, frequently studied alongside system integration/design and energy performance. Meteorological sensing is most prevalent (102 papers), followed by energy-performance (53) and agricultural variables (41). Acquisition is predominantly hybrid: 65.0% combine automated logging (weather/power) with targeted plant measurements; 21.1% are automated-only; 13.8% manual-only. Documentation gaps cluster in operational metadata, such as maintenance/durability, power supply/autonomy, data transmission and calibration/accuracy. Where PAR/PPFD is explicitly measured or robustly derived and co-reported with module temperature and inverter telemetry on a shared time base, studies can trace causal chains from forcing to conversion and crop response, enabling quantitative, design-relevant comparisons. By consolidating what AgriPV studies actually measure and pinpointing concise, high-impact co-measurements and reporting items (timekeeping, calibration, placement, power/telemetry), this review provides the practical foundation for portable, cross-site synthesis and supports emerging data-driven analysis and control in AgriPV.