Solar sharing gets popular in Japan, solar power used in farms to grow crops

A Japanese start-up has started electrifying agricultural farms using solar power to grow crops. Takeshi Magami’s farm in Tokyo comprises 2,826 solar panels perched above the produce.

It has been reported that the panels covering much of the one hectare of land serve a dual purpose. One, it supplies all the power required to run the farm, and next is it is a source of additional income by selling surplus renewable energy to the grid.

The farm could generate 24 million yen ($187,000) of additional revenue a year.

“Our goal is to electrify and automate all steps of farming” and create a model for what sustainable agriculture could look like, "Mr Magami was quoted in a report. He has been operating the farm as part of his start-up Chiba Ecological Energy.

As per a report, "The farm is part of a global movement called solar sharing or agrivoltaics that involves the simultaneous use of farmland for producing crops and generating power."

To be noted, solar sharing has been regarded as a perfect alternative in Japan which has a limited space and a heavy reliance on energy imports.

This comes at a time when Japan has a goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050. It has aimed for 36 per cent to 38 per cent of its energy mix to come from renewable sources in 2030, with solar accounting for 14 per cent to 16 per cent.