Agrivoltaic systems in England and Wales

Defra's ambition is for the UK to be a world leader in the food and farming industry and to provide a cleaner, healthier environment which benefits people and the economy. Therefore, a key Defra priority is to increase the productivity and sustainability of the agri-food sector, balancing environmental and climate targets whilst preserving food production. Agrivoltaics (AV) is the deployment of solar photovoltaic power panels on agricultural land for the generation of renewable energy. It presents farmers/landowners with an opportunity to diversify income streams on their land whilst contributing to the UKs drive to net zero emissions by 2050. The range of options that are available for the deployment of agrivoltaic systems means that they could become an increasingly attractive prospect for farmers. It is a technology that can tailored for different land types and systems, and in some cases work concurrently with existing farming systems, such as panels providing shade for grazing livestock. Data from the Renewable Energy Planning Database (REPD) estimates that the total area of agrivoltaic sites in England (including those in planning phase) could be up to 48kha. As a proportion of England's total agricultural area, this represents just 0.5% of land, demonstrating the opportunity for this technology to be scaled up. As such Defra seeks to better understand how such installations can be implemented in ways that complement food production, and improve the economic, environmental, and social sustainability of farm businesses. The Welsh Government strongly supports the principle of developing renewable and low carbon energy to meet future energy needs and in doing so, developments should deliver positive social, environmental, cultural and economic benefits. This includes ensuring Wales has a sustainable and resilient agriculture sector for future generations to continue to produce high quality food and maintain high production standards.