According to Euronews.green, deploying solar installations on farm lands in countries such as Poland and Hungary could provide them with up to 68% of their energy requirements. A study conducted by energy think tank Ember claims that, by developing dual agri-PV lands on just 9% of the farmable areas in the Central European region, all food production and processing could be powered by clean energy.
But how could solar panels covering a field contribute to better food security? There are some types of fruits that like to be kept away from the sunrays, which PVs can definitely do. Crop production can be boosted by as much as 16%, while generating 63% of the electricity produced by traditional solar panels.
Dr Paweł Czyżak, a data analyst and one of the authors of the report, said that "with Europe increasingly under threat in volatile times, food security and energy security are absolutely vital. Installing solar panels with agriculture can help farmers contribute to both while keeping business stable and profitable."
Farmers in France, Germany, Italy and the Netherlands already developed 200 farming-PV projects, as in these countries, this doesn't cancel benefits such as agricultural subsidies from the government.
Marion Picot, secretary general at the Brussels-based European Council of Young Farmers (CEJA), said that "solar PVs can provide additional streams of revenue, as long as they do not compromise the economic, social and environmental value of agricultural soils, and with a priority to be given to the installation on building roofs or efficient combination with crop and livestock production."
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