Case studies of Agrivoltaics in rice paddies in Japan

Japanese agriculture, as seen in the Agrivoltaics, is very distinctive compared to other countries. Of these, the Japanese approach to Agricoltaics in rice paddies is probably the most advanced.

From August to September is the peak harvest season for rice grown in paddy fields. This is no exception for the Agricoltaics. The photo shows the rice harvest at an Agricoltaics in a paddy field in Chiba City, near Tokyo.

Rice harvesting at an Agrivoltaics near Tokyo

Rice paddies account for 55% of agricultural land in Japan, and if we can utilise them as an agri-PV, we can develop both agriculture and renewable energy businesses. For this reason, in Japan, demonstration tests of Agrivoltaics in rice paddies have been carried out for over 10 years.

As a result, general-purpose agricultural machinery can operate without any problems in the PV facilities. The decrease in rice yield has been kept within 10%.

Work using a general-purpose combine harvester

In Japanese rice farming, the work carried out by agricultural machinery, from rice transplanters to combine harvesters, is systematised, so if some successful examples of Agrivoltaics are created, the same approach will probably spread.

At present, we are conducting research into the production of renewable energy and decarbonisation in agricultural areas through joint research with Chiba University. The results of this research will be published in papers and other publications in stages.

https://www.de-carbon-farmland.org/

Combining Fruit Growing with Agrivoltaics

Fruit cultivation is a distinctive achievement when combining agrivoltaics and agricultural crops.

In Japan, blueberries, grapes, lemons, figs, tangerines, and other fruits are grown with agrivoltaics. Fruit trees can be planted in the ground or in pots, but the main feature is that the crops are grown using photovoltaic mounts. For example, bird nets are put up, watering pipes are crawled over, and grape trellises are built.

In recent years, the presence of shade from solar panels with agrivoltaics will become even more important, as the heat of summer has adversely affected the growth of fruit trees due to drastic climate change.

Agrivoltaics may become indispensable for orchards in the future.

Japanese Government Considering Tighter Regulations for Agrivoltaics

This year marks 10 years since the introduction of the agrivoltaics in Japan. An estimated more than 5,000 power plants have been introduced, but at the same time, the number of cases of improper farming under PV is increasing.

Power generation facilities without adequate agriculture

According to MAFF statistics, there are 335 operating agrivoltaics in Japan with insufficient agricultural production. In more than half of them, the yield is between 0 and 20% or less.

To solve this problem, MAFF and the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) each established a study group.

MAFF's study group heard reports from local government officials, which revealed cases of low agricultural productivity and the actions of businesses attempting to conduct power generation projects even in situations that violate the Agricultural Land Law.

Why are these problems occurring? Local government officials point out that the problem lies in the fact that the operation of FarmingPV is not prescribed by law, but rather by administrative notice.

Japan's Special Zones for Structural Reform Act, enacted in April 2023, eased restrictions on the acquisition of farmland by corporations, but prohibited the introduction of agrivoltaics when using this system.

In light of this situation, some agricultural groups have argued that the locations where agrivoltaics can be installed should be more severely restricted, and future regulatory discussions will need to be closely monitored.

Japanese government's expert panel on agrivoltaics launched

In Japan, the design and construction guidelines for solar sharing/agrivoltaics were released last year. 

As the total number of agrivoltaics installations in Japan is estimated to have exceeded 4,000, the creation of a system to ensure the stability and sustainability of the facilities has begun.

As part of the new initiative, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) launched an expert panel in February 2022. The first item on the agenda here is to sort out the challenges of agrivoltaics in Japan. I also serve on the committee as an expert.

MAFF Japan Exeprt panel on agrivoltaics (Japanese)

There are three main issues to discuss: the first is the equipment and structure of the power plant, the second is the cultivation of crops, and the third is the business scheme.

In terms of the facilities and structure of the power plant, the main issues to be discussed are whether there is enough space for agricultural machinery to work safely, whether the plant can accommodate future smart agriculture, and whether the plant can withstand natural disasters such as typhoons and earthquakes.

In terms of crop cultivation, the agenda includes agricultural technology that takes into account the shading environment of solar panels, concerns about shifting to more easily cultivated crops, abandoning agricultural production in favor of power generation projects, and harmony with the rural landscape.

Regarding the business scheme, there are issues to be addressed such as unclear business responsibilities in cases where the owner of the power generation equipment and the farmer are different, a mechanism to encourage farmers to also engage in the power generation business, and the lack of financing and insurance products by financial institutions.

The expert panel is expected to sort out these issues by March 2022, and discussions to resolve more detailed issues will begin in the next fiscal year.

Japan's Youth Enter Agriculture with Agrivoltaics

The decrease in the number of agricultural workers is an important social issue for Japan. In such an environment, the entry of young people into agriculture through agrivoltaics is spreading.

University students experiencing farm work with agrivoltaics.

In Japan, the agricultural population has declined by 70% over the past 20 years, while the number of young people entering the agricultural business has remained at a very low level.

On the other hand, more and more young people are interested in building a sustainable society due to the growing interest in climate change issues. Such young people have started to address energy and agricultural issues through agrivoltaics.

In the future, it is necessary to use renewable energy sources to reduce the environmental impact of agricultural production. By learning about agrivoltaics, which combines renewable energy and agriculture on farmland, the next generation will gain a new sense of value.

"Solar Panel Tax", Japanese local governments to tax solar panels

The year 2021 marked a major turning point in the history of Japan's energy policy. In December, Mimasaka City, Okayama Prefecture passed its own taxation ordinance on solar panels in its assembly.

This initiative, which was in direct opposition to the global trend of climate change countermeasures and the spread of renewable energy, had a huge impact on Japanese society.

With the rapid spread of solar power generation under FIT in Japan, the development of solar power generation has increasingly become a problem for local residents. However, this taxation ordinance is not intended to solve that problem.

The mayor decided to take advantage of the local community's opposition to the solar power project and slap a new tax on it to finance a policy with a completely different purpose.

The new taxation ordinance will increase tax revenue by 100 million yen per year in Mimasaka City. While this will benefit the current generation, it will stall investment in renewable energy. Therefore, the future generations will have to pay the price.

By March of this year, the Japanese government will have to approve or reject this decision by Mimasaka City. If the government approves, there will be more local governments that will impose similar taxes.

New Japanese Energy Policy Plan Released

On October 22, the new basic plan for Japan's energy policy was released. 

As a measure to combat climate change, the government plans to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by more than 46% in 2030 compared to 2013, and to achieve this, it will increase the ratio of renewable energy sources to 36-38%.

This target is ambitious, considering Japan's renewable energy policies to date. Japan, which suffered a major nuclear power plant accident in the Great East Japan Earthquake, has long stopped thinking about climate change measures.

With this policy change, the decision was made to at least double the amount of renewable energy sources than as of 2019. The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), which has been trying to shrink the renewable energy market despite the FIT system, must review its actions and take steps to create a new market.

Japan's main renewable energy source is solar power, but compared to 2014, when the market was at its largest, the market has shrunk to 1/3 the size it was in 2020. As a result of METI's retrofitting and complication of the FIT system, many players have disappeared from the market.

The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) is aiming to introduce the FIP starting in FY2022, but they themselves admit that this will not significantly contribute to the introduction of renewable energy. Even if we add the current FIT and the new FIP, METI estimates that solar power generation in Japan will only increase by about 15 GW by 2030. However, unless we increase that to at least 60 GW, we will not be able to achieve even the minimum goal of the new energy policy.

Now that the new goals have been set, we need to decide on the specific policies to realize them, and the direction will become clearer with the results of the House of Representatives election scheduled for the end of this month.