In an increasingly volatile world where rising temperatures and frequent extreme weather events serve as a stark reminder of our rapidly changing climate, the need for radical action to reduce the damage being done to the planet has become impossible to ignore.
Against this backdrop, renewable energy – a cleaner, greener way of generating power which decreases air pollution and reduces carbon emissions – is set to play a crucial role moving forward, with wind and solar predicted to provide over 40% of the world’s electricity supply by 2030.
Solar in particular is expanding at a rapid rate, with 29% more panels installed last year compared to 2023, and this is only set to increase as governments and private firms look to capitalise on the clean energy supplied by the sun to help push the world towards its lofty net-zero emissions targets.
Literal Solar Farms
One industry that’s making giant strides towards a solar-powered future is agriculture, with enterprising farmers in various parts of the world using their land to install panels alongside crops and livestock.
Here in the UK, many farmers have staunchly opposed plans to build solar farms on agricultural land, perhaps understandably so, given the perceived threat to their livelihood.
But what if solar and farming could be combined to create a best-of-both-worlds situation where farmers not only help protect the planet by generating clean energy, but also continue to grow quality, homegrown produce that feeds the nation and ensures their keystone industry continues to thrive?
Agrivoltaics – a hybridisation of agriculture and photolatic (PV) – aims to do just that by intertwining solar power production with farming. This relatively new phenomenon can take different forms – in France, vineyards install solar panels above grapevines to provide shade and reduce water evaporation, while some Japanese farmers grow shade-tolerant crops like lettuce and spinach beneath raised solar panels.
Across the pond, U.S farmers allow sheep to graze under solar farms which helps maintain vegetation while generating renewable energy, and in India floating solar panels on irrigation canals reduce water loss while powering local farms.
When done right, these innovative methods can significantly increase yields and streamline farming processes, making agrivoltaics a no-brainer for some farmers.
In addition, depending on the number of panels installed, farmers can generate substantial amounts of power that they can then sell back to the grid to boost profits, demonstrating why a growing number are now considering adding panels to their land.
Energy-Driven Inflation
As well as the income generated from selling energy back to the grid, there are also some other tasty financial rewards on offer for farmers utilising their land for solar production.
Producing food typically involves the use of heavy machinery, irrigation, transportation and processing, which is why agriculture is responsible for around 3% of the country’s total energy usage. This makes it one of the most energy-intensive industries around.
So when electricity and gas prices sky-rocketed following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine – prices that remain suspiciously high to this day, despite the UK’s minimal reliance on Russian resources – farmers felt the repercussions more than most.
Consequently, with profit margins already cripplingly low for some farmers, much of the increases in energy costs were then passed onto the consumer, driving up the cost of everyday goods and fuelling the rampant inflation that peaked at over 11% in 2022, its highest rate in more than 40 years. So not only did the energy crisis leave farmers out of pocket, but it also drove up the cost of your weekly shop.
However, with some now generating their own power with solar panels, these shrewd farmers are now paying less for their energy, which not only helps them cut costs but also eliminates the need to bump up prices, meaning everybody wins!
Climate Targets
Amid all of the financial benefits and incentives, it’s easy to forget an equally (if not more) important reason to install solar panels – the climate benefits.
The UK has set an ambitious, legally binding target to reach net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, aiming to cut emissions while driving sustainable growth.
The Climate Change Act 2008 was amended in 2019 to commit the government to cutting greenhouse gas emissions by 100% from 1990 levels. To stay on track, the UK must meet a series of five-year carbon budgets, setting limits on emissions leading up to 2050, and if the country fails to meet these targets then it could face legal challenges from environmental groups or other stakeholders.
Key steps to achieving this goal include phasing out coal power, expanding offshore wind capacity, investing in nuclear energy and promoting electric vehicles. Additionally, government initiatives like the Green Industrial Revolution and financial incentives for heat pumps and home insulation are also helping accelerate progress.
While the route to net zero over next few decades will undoubtedly pose some challenges, advancements in renewable energy and stricter regulations on high-carbon industries are pushing the UK closer to its climate goals.
With this in mind, solar installations look like a safe bet for farmers and governments alike, as they’ll reduce our reliance on fossil fuels and bring down carbon emissions and pollution, which is linked to a range of ecological and humanitarian issues.
A report commissioned by the European Union recently found that agrivoltaics alone could help the EU surpass its 2030 climate goals.
“Combining farming and solar photovoltaic electricity production – known as agrivoltaics - on a mere 1% of EU utilised agricultural area (UAA) could help to surpass the EU’s 2030 targets – 720 GW direct current – for solar energy generation.
“This innovative multi land-use application shows great potential: unlike conventional ground mounted photovoltaic systems, in agrivoltaic applications the panels are installed in such a way that agricultural activities, such as growing crops, grass or fruit, remain the primary use of the land area, while also giving access for farm machinery or livestock,” Joint Research Centre EU said.
With the UK still in the grip of an ongoing energy crisis, and the effects of climate change increasingly impossible to ignore with floods, droughts and wildfires like those seen in Los Angeles becoming ever more frequent, it’s clear that urgent action is needed.
Thankfully, there are plenty of new and innovative methods to help reduce the damage being done to the planet, and one of the most promising is the evolution of agrivoltaics.
If you’re involved in agriculture and you’re looking to utilise your land for solar production, we stock a wide range of panels. Many of our panels and solar mounting systems are suitable for use in an agricultural setting, so if you’re looking to buy solar panels then check out our offerings or get in touch today!
