Growing crops under solar panels expected to boost both farming, energy industries

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A solar panel array is installed at a green onion farm of Yeungnam University’s agrivoltaics demonstration complex in Gyeongsan, North Gyeongsang Province, Wednesday. Courtesy of Hanwha Solutions

Hanwha Q Cells promotes agrivoltaics for aging Korean farmers

By Park Jae-hyuk

GYEONGSAN, North Gyeongsang Province ― Seasoned green onions served at a cafeteria in Yeungnam University last Wednesday were no different from those made with ingredients from ordinary farms. However, these ones did differ in one major way: They were grown under solar panels installed at the university’s agrivoltaics demonstration complex.

Hanwha Solutions Q Cells Division, which hosted a media briefing at the university on dual land use for agriculture and solar power generation, dismissed any safety concerns regarding the crops from the complex.

“Our solar modules use eco-friendly wires that do not contain lead,” said Hong Sung-min, an employee at the solar module manufacturing unit of Hanwha Group.

Yeungnam University professor Jung Jae-hak, who is leading experiments at the complex, told the press that solar panels do not pollute the soil with heavy metals.

“Due to the popular misconception, agrivoltaics complexes nationwide are subject to an inspection by the agriculture ministry every 10 years,” the professor said.

He added that solar panels hardly disrupt cultivation, thanks to their height, modified size, position and tilt angle, so that enough of the sun’s rays shine on the crops.

“Solar panels prevent overheating of the ground and the evaporation of water,” he said. “Agrivoltaics can even create an environment favorable to the growth of grapes.”

Seasoned green onions made with ingredients from Yeungnam University’s agrivoltaics demonstration complex are served at a university cafeteria in Gyeongsan, North Gyeongsang Province, Wednesday. Courtesy of Hanwha Solutions

According to the professor, 130 megawatt-hours of electricity were produced last year from the 1,950-square-meter complex, which was then used to operate the complex and facilities of the university. The amount is enough for 140 people to use annually.

If the electricity had been sold on the market last year, it could have generated an additional income of around 30 million won ($22,500).

In addition, crops harvested from the complex have been sold to raise money for underprivileged people and students from low-income families.

Hanwha Q Cells Korean business division head Yoo Jae-yeol said that the company’s production of solar modules for agrivoltaics is intended to create a new source of income for aging Korean farmers and reduce carbon emissions during electricity production.

“It is true that the production is not that profitable to our company,” he said. “For our society, however, we have a sense of duty to develop and produce solar modules for agrivoltaics.”

Lim Do-hyung, head of the Korea East-West Power’s Institute of Future Convergence Technologies, said that agrivoltaics is one of the best solutions for the mountainous Korean Peninsula, which lacks flatlands needed for solar power installations.

“Agrivoltaics is necessary to preserve Korea’s farmlands, protect farmers and ensure food security,” he said.

Under Korea’s Farmland Act, however, farmland can only be used for different purposes for up to eight years. As a result, farmers have to remove solar panels from their land eight years after installing them, even though the panels can last over 25 years.

Due to the possibility of the regulation causing economic inefficiency and having a negative impact on Korea’s transition to renewable energies, lawmakers have been seeking to revise the law. However, their proposed revision bills have not been passed yet.