Objectives

he HarvRESt project aims to address growing conflicts between food and energy sectors over land use by promoting the integration of renewable energy sources (RES) in farming systems through innovative circular business models. This vertical integration enables farms to become climate neutral, improve production efficiency, protect natural resources and biodiversity, and diversify their income by offering energy services to local communities.

The project seeks to identify and overcome technical, socio-economic, and regulatory barriers that hinder RES adoption in agriculture. It will tackle current knowledge fragmentation by developing a robust data-driven framework comprising two main tools:

1. An Agricultural Virtual Power Plant (AVPP) that simulates farm configurations and RES scenarios to identify optimal energy solutions.
2. A Decision Support System (DSS) that incorporates trade-offs and key performance indicators to deliver tailored recommendations for farmers and policymakers.

HarvRESt adopts a multi-actor, co-creation approach that actively engages stakeholders—including farmers, researchers, businesses, and policymakers—from the start. The project emphasizes capacity building through training materials and participatory sessions to empower end users.

Implementation will take place in four diverse use cases across Europe, reflecting different farm types, stakeholder networks, climates, and RES technologies. These pilots will serve both as testbeds and knowledge hubs for wider replication.

Ultimately, HarvRESt aims to become a European reference for integrated RES solutions at the farm level, offering strategic guidance and evidence-based tools to accelerate the green transition of agro-communities.

Activities

The HarvRESt project implements a structured set of interdisciplinary activities organized into eight Work Packages (WPs), aiming to support the sustainable integration of Renewable Energy Sources (RES) into agricultural systems and communities.

WP1 – Project Management and Coordination

Led by CIRCE, this work package ensures effective project governance, coordination, communication, and compliance. It includes monitoring progress, financial and technical reporting, data management planning, and Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI) practices including ethics and gender equality.

WP2 – Knowledge and Perceptions Gathering

This WP lays the groundwork through mapping existing RES integration practices in agriculture across the EU. It includes stakeholder mapping, socio-economic and policy analysis, defining KPIs for sustainability, and establishing stakeholder working groups in the four pilot use cases (Spain, Italy, Denmark, Norway).

WP3 – Stakeholder Engagement and Business Models

Focused on fostering multi-actor engagement, this WP develops methodologies for awareness creation, capacity building, and co-creation. It includes analysis of financial schemes and incentives, training activities, and a catalogue of viable business models tailored to diverse agricultural contexts and energy solutions.

WP4 – Sustainable Agro Practices and Impact Assessment

WP4 investigates the effects of RES on agricultural practices and soil quality. It includes experimental campaigns (e.g., nutrient recovery, digestate use), trade-off analysis, and the development of digital planning tools (e.g., biogas plant simulator). Indicators for monitoring agronomic sustainability are also refined here.

WP5 – Modelling and Optimization of RES Systems

This technical WP develops a library of RES technologies, AI-based forecasting algorithms, and hybrid models for optimizing farm-level energy performance. It enables simulation of scenarios to identify optimal RES configurations and integrates environmental and economic parameters for smarter decision-making.

WP6 – AVPP and DSS Development and Validation

The core technological output of HarvRESt—an Agricultural Virtual Power Plant (AVPP) and a Decision Support System (DSS)—is developed here. Activities include stakeholder co-creation to define decision-making criteria, programming the systems, and testing them in pilot sites through data collection and validation.

WP7 – Knowledge Transfer and Recommendations

This WP ensures that project results are translated into actionable recommendations and tools. It includes development of policy guidance, a replication handbook, and assessment of the project's impact on farms. It also supports the creation of policy pathways for broader deployment of RES in agriculture.

WP8 – Dissemination, Communication, and Exploitation

Led by FBCD, this WP handles the project's external visibility. It develops and implements a communication and dissemination strategy, manages intellectual property and exploitation planning, and builds synergies with other EU-funded initiatives. Outputs include practice abstracts, a public website, training materials, and final communication deliverables.

Pilot Use Cases

The activities are validated in four distinct pilot use cases representing a diversity of geographies, farm structures, energy technologies, and socio-economic contexts. These use cases serve as living labs where data is collected, stakeholders are engaged, and HarvRESt solutions are refined.