To realize a carbon-free society, the requirements for installing solar panels on uncultivated rough farmland to generate electricity have been relaxed.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries wants to lead to the effective use of agricultural land.

With the expansion of renewable energy such as solar power becoming an issue toward the realization of a carbon-free society, the spread of "farming-type solar power generation" in which solar panels are installed on farmland and crops are grown under it while generating power. Is expected.



However, for installation, permission for temporary conversion of agricultural land is required for the pillars of the solar panel, and it is a requirement to maintain a yield of 80% or more compared to the average of the area, so cultivation is carried out. It was pointed out that it would be difficult to utilize it on rough farmland that has not been used.



For this reason, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries decided to remove the requirement for yield if it regenerates the rough farmland and properly maintains and manages it as farmland, and reviewed the operation of the system last month.



In addition, we plan to relax the requirements for the target agricultural land and revise the notification of the related law even when the rough farmland is diverted and solar panels are installed without growing crops.



According to the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, there are about 280,000 hectares of rough agricultural land nationwide, and we hope to use it effectively.

At the site of "farming type solar power generation"

Takeshi Magami, the representative director of a venture company in Chiba City, has been in agriculture for three years and is working on "farming-type solar power generation."



A 4-meter-high pillar is erected on 1 hectare of agricultural land, and solar panels are installed on one side.



While growing potatoes, garlic, cabbage, etc., we generate 900,000 kilowatt hours a year from solar power generation and have the electric power company buy it.



Sales in agriculture range from 2 million yen to 3 million yen, but sales from electricity sales are about 25 million yen, and it is said that even new entrants made a profit.



Mr. Magami says, "Because I am a beginner in agriculture, improving productivity is an issue, but I also have income from selling electricity, so I have a good balance."



Mr. Magami plans to regenerate the rough agricultural land in Chiba City and further expand the farming-type solar power generation business.



Mr. Magami hopes that the deregulation will promote the regeneration of rough farmland, but he says that it is still uncertain whether solar power generation will expand until the rough farmland is improved.



Mr. Magami asked, "How much land is needed as agricultural land and what should be the ratio of farm-type solar power generation? Or will it be diverted for renewable energy because it cannot be used as agricultural land? Isn't it necessary to organize and show? "

How to relax requirements

Photovoltaic power generation has played a central role in Japan toward the expansion of renewable energy.



With the introduction of the feed-in tariff system in the wake of the Great East Japan Earthquake, solar power generation has become widespread, and the amount of power generated in fiscal 2019 will account for more than one-third of all renewable energy.



However, in Japan, where there are many mountainous areas, it is difficult to secure a large area with high power generation efficiency, so expectations for agricultural land as a new installation location are increasing.



This is because it is sunny and there are many rough farmlands that are not cultivated.



However, from the viewpoint of stable food supply, agricultural land is subject to national regulations when it is diverted to other than agriculture, and the system has been developed within the range compatible with the development of agriculture.



One of the methods is "farming-type photovoltaic power generation," in which solar panels are installed on farmland and crops are grown under the solar panels while generating electricity.



In 2013, a rule was established to allow the installation of solar panels if it is confirmed that the average yield of the area can be maintained at 80% or more.



Furthermore, in 2014, the "Agricultural, Mountain and Fishing Village Renewable Energy Law" was enforced, and the procedure for installing solar panels without growing crops by diverting rough agricultural land without cultivating was simplified. In principle, it can be installed in places other than agricultural land where it is not permitted if the conditions are met.



However, according to the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, the total amount of agricultural land where solar panels have been installed in the six years up to 2018 is only about 10,000 hectares. It was pointed out that the regulation might be the cause, and the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries was considering how to deal with it.