Photo voltaic farms can eat up farmland—however ‘agrivoltaics’ might imply the most effective of each worlds for NZ farmers – Uplaza

New Zealand plans to fee about eight gigawatts of photo voltaic photovoltaic tasks—greater than the utmost energy demand of the entire nation on a typical winter’s day—by 2028, based on the federal government’s newest technology funding survey.

Eight of those photo voltaic farms are already operational and unfold throughout the nation. Greater than 40 are in varied levels of growth, with the development of the most important single undertaking, in extra of 150 megawatts, resulting from begin this yr.

Photo voltaic farms are usually not with out challenges, although. They’ll burn up farmland and alter the agricultural panorama. Nonetheless, we argue that extra environment friendly farms can combine photo voltaic panels and agricultural manufacturing, with financial advantages for farmers.

Given Aotearoa New Zealand’s present photo voltaic technology capability of slightly below ten gigawatts, the elevated technology is a big growth within the electrical energy sector and a constructive contribution to the 2030 goal of 100% electrical energy technology from renewables.

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

That is particularly as a result of photo voltaic farms are more likely 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 an appropriate choice for New Zealand lies in “agrivoltaics”—utilizing agricultural land for each renewable electrical energy technology and farming.

Addressing considerations over land-use change

In a rustic the place half of its space serves agricultural functions, 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). Giant areas of the nation have been proven to be appropriate for this twin land-use strategy.

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

Soils additionally retain extra moisture, which implies sure crops develop higher, even with extra shading. Pastoral manufacturing has seen the best advantages globally as a result of animals are higher shielded from the weather, want much less water and may 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, often known as photo voltaic grazing.

The economics are fairly compelling. A case research on a Canterbury farm reveals 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 dealing with, this 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 value NZ $1.4 billion a yr till 2030. This determine is essentially related to the required high-voltage transmission community.

Transpower’s internet zero grid pathways program goals to deal with this concern. Nonetheless, most of the smaller utility-scale photo voltaic belongings might be linked to low-voltage distribution networks, which might be a big constraint.

None of this required infrastructure improve is included within the 2024 price range. Traces firms are left to handle this concern. Successfully it signifies 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 Useful resource Administration Act at the moment underway. The Quick-track Approvals Invoice is at the moment going by way of the choose committee and will restrict complete session with stakeholders and the cautious consideration of any implications of photo voltaic tasks.

A current notification resolution 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 noticed 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 nationwide coverage assertion for renewable electrical energy technology acknowledges competing values related to the event of renewable vitality sources. However it doesn’t establish how you can resolve any battle.

The safety of extremely productive agricultural land is roofed by the 2022 nationwide coverage assertion for extremely productive land, and planning officers could view typical photo voltaic farms to be in battle. We argue that well-designed agrivoltaic programs 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.”

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