In a bid to strike a balance between expanding solar energy projects and preserving agricultural productivity, the French government enacted a law in March 2023. The legislation mandates that all solar initiatives on farmlands must provide some form of service to agriculture, addressing concerns about the increasing conversion of arable land for solar energy harvesting rather than traditional farming practices.
Entitled ‘On Accelerating the Production of Renewable Energies,’ the decree allocates €100 million ($108 million) from the tourist tax to a fund aimed at installing heat pumps and solar panels in state-owned schools, emphasizing a commitment to sustainable practices.
The growing profitability of photovoltaic technology has led to a trend where landowners can potentially earn 10 to 100 times more per hectare by leasing their land to energy companies than through conventional farming. This economic shift raises concerns about the future of agricultural land.
The legislation seeks to establish a compromise, allowing energy companies to install solar panels without compromising the yield of land designated for food production. Additional laws, including penalties for landowners failing to meet productivity targets, are under consideration.
The French government’s ambitious target to generate 100 gigawatts of solar power by 2050 is met with challenges, particularly in a country where the agricultural lobby holds significant political influence. Ongoing farmer protests across Europe, fueled by distrust of new rules and demands for fair prices and access to affordable farmland, further complicate the discussions around the use of solar technologies on farmlands.
According to the French Agency for Ecological Transition, solar projects contributed 16 gigawatts to the French grid in 2022, with only 1.3 gigawatts expected from photovoltaics on agricultural enterprises. As France aims to increase the share of renewable energy to 33% by 2030, the government is navigating the delicate balance between energy transition and agricultural concerns.
Researchers in France, led by agronomist Christian Dupraz and his team at the French National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food, and Environment (INRAE), are exploring innovative solutions. Their agrivoltaic model involves shade structures equipped with solar panels that rise over crops, protecting them from sunlight when necessary, rather than replacing farmland. This approach aims to provide benefits such as reduced evapotranspiration and protection against weather hazards.
Despite the potential advantages of agrivoltaic models, critics argue that they produce lower electricity yields and come with higher costs compared to traditional solar farms. Additionally, debates persist around the proportion of farmland that can be covered by solar panels, with energy companies advocating for up to 40%, while agronomists caution that anything exceeding 25% could jeopardize agricultural production.
As France grapples with these challenges, other countries, including Japan, are implementing regulations to balance sustainable agriculture and renewable energy transition. The global landscape continues to evolve, with legal and economic battles expected in regions facing similar conflicts over land use.