Solar farms can eat up farmland—but ‘agrivoltaics’ could mean the best of both worlds for NZ farmers

New Zealand plans to fee about eight gigawatts of photo voltaic photovoltaic tasks—greater than the maximum power demand of the whole country on a typical winter’s day—by 2028, in accordance with the federal government’s newest generation investment survey.

Eight of those solar farms are already operational and spread across the country. Greater than 40 are in numerous phases of improvement, with the construction of the largest single projectin extra of 150 megawatts, resulting from begin this yr.

Photo voltaic farms will not be with out challenges, although. They will dissipate farmland and alter the agricultural panorama. Nonetheless, we argue that extra environment friendly farms can combine photo voltaic panels and agricultural manufacturing, with economic benefits for farmers.

Given Aotearoa New Zealand’s current solar generation capacity of just below ten gigawatts, the elevated technology is a major improvement within the electricity sector and a constructive contribution to the 2030 target of 100% electricity generation from renewables.

Nonetheless, opposition has centered on the potential modifications to the agricultural panorama and the use of productive soils.

That is particularly as a result of photo voltaic farms are prone to be proposed for fast-track consenting. Infrastructure Minister Chris Bishop has signaled the method will “make it easier to consent new infrastructure, including renewable energy.”

We advocate a suitable option for New Zealand lies in “agrivoltaics“—utilizing agricultural land for each renewable electrical energy technology and farming.

Addressing issues over land-use change

In a rustic the place half of its area serves agricultural purposes, land-use change is an apparent concern. The reply might be agrivoltaics, which is gaining traction globally.

It means utilizing rural land for each electrical energy technology and agriculture (together with horticulture). Massive areas of the nation have been proven to be suitable for this dual land-use approach.

The main good thing about agrivoltaics is the micro-climate created underneath the photo voltaic arrays, with cooler temperatures throughout heat days and hotter temperatures at evening. This leads to much less warmth stress and fewer frost injury for crops.

Soils additionally retain extra moisture, which suggests sure crops develop higher, even with extra shading. Pastoral manufacturing has seen the best advantages globally as a result of animals are higher protected against the weather, want much less water and might entry pasture in dry situations.

Photo voltaic grazing

The combination of photo voltaic arrays with sheep farming is a serious alternative for New Zealand. Certainly, it is not uncommon apply to make the most of sheep to keep up vegetation between and beneath the photo voltaic panels. It is a rising enterprise in its personal proper, referred to as solar grazing.

The economics are fairly compelling. A case study on a Canterbury farm exhibits the profitability of the photo voltaic belongings with an extra income stream for the farmer from leasing agreements.

Given the financial worries sheep farmers are facingthis must be a particular consideration.

Addressing the hurdles

There are hurdles to realizing this chance in a simply method. One is the upgrading of the grid to accommodate new technology capability, estimated to cost NZ $1.4 billion a yr till 2030. This determine is essentially related to the required high-voltage transmission community.

Transpower’s net zero grid pathways program goals to handle this situation. Nonetheless, lots of the smaller utility-scale photo voltaic belongings shall be related to low-voltage distribution networks, which will be a significant constraint.

None of this required infrastructure improve is included within the 2024 budget. Strains corporations are left to handle this situation. Successfully it implies that not all farmers will be capable of capitalize on the chance. Will probably be a case of “first come, first served” and a possible gold rush.

Consenting points

This performs into the reforms of the Resource Management Act at present underway. The Fast-track Approvals Bill is at present going by way of the choose committee and should restrict complete session with stakeholders and the cautious consideration of any implications of photo voltaic tasks.

A current notification decision by the South Wairarapa District Council, for instance, concluded {that a} proposed photo voltaic farm “is inconsistent with the other activities taking place in the rural (primary production) zone, and as such the amenity values of the rural environment would be adversely impacted.”

Conversely, within the context of an software for a photo voltaic farm in Selwyn, a decision-making commissioner observed that our useful resource administration system permits for, and even expects, modifications in land use. “Whether changes are permissible depends on (…) the planning (documents), the consideration of environmental effects and (…) balanced judgment as to whether the changes meet the legislative and other requirements.”

New Zealand’s national policy statement for renewable electrical energy technology acknowledges competing values related to the event of renewable vitality assets. But it surely doesn’t determine how you can resolve any battle.

The safety of extremely productive agricultural land is roofed by the 2022 national policy statement for extremely productive land, and planning officers could view standard photo voltaic farms to be in battle. We argue that well-designed agrivoltaic methods will resolve this conundrum.

Certainly, the decision-making panel in a single agrivoltaic software within the Waikato commented that “its members have seldom observed a project that delivers such significant benefits with such comparatively few adverse effects.”

This text is republished from The Conversation underneath a Artistic Commons license. Learn the original article.