China develops PV agriculture using clean energy to ensure food supply

According to the announcement from the Ministry of Agriculture, "PV agriculture" has become the top priority of the Ministry of Agriculture officials. They want to expand solar energy use, accelerate the pace of agricultural modernization, promote the development of aquaculture, ahead of Australia, Israel and Japan and other countries.

According to Hong Kongs South China Morning Post reported on January 29, China needs to install about 1000 gigawatts of carbon and energy (such as solar energy) to meet with the United States recently signed a climate change agreement to control the carbon in 2030 Emissions commitment. This means implementing a number of measures, including a substantial increase in the installation of solar panels.

In fact, China has been a substantial increase in solar energy production, such as the installation of solar panels at the top of the building and the installation of public-scale solar installations (including the installation of a large number of sunny rural areas of solar panels), thus becoming the worlds largest installed solar power Installed country.

With the development of Chinas agriculture more and more scale, more and more professional, the government found that through the agriculture can install more solar panels. In fact, as long as the rural areas, you will find everywhere corn fields, vegetable fields, as well as freshwater fish, carp pond.

Rural labor and land are usually cheaper than cities, but income is less than the city, the situation makes the government worried. According to the solar energy integration plan, if the farmer to install the solar panels, can be funded. According to other plans, farmers can install their own solar panels, produced by the power can earn pay.

Rows of eggplant and fish and fish on the huge pond placed on the metal platform, the platform to install a large number of solar panels. Anyone who sees this scene will be optimistic about the future.

In addition to clean energy, food safety is another part of the governments attention, but also the government to increase agriculture, aquaculture expenditure reasons. Farmers often complain that the low profits of agricultural products, the weather will affect the harvest, and now solar power to allow farmers to receive additional income, can make their income more stable.

Fish ponds do not have to be plowed or cultivated on a quarterly basis, so it may be the most suitable place to install solar power plants. In addition, the Ministry of Agriculture, which oversees fisheries, has made fish production a priority, in order to meet the growing demand for protein in this more efficient way.

In addition, the large scale of fish exports, means that there is a lot of space to install solar installations. For example, local governments such as Guangxi and Hubei have identified freshwater aquaculture (mainly tilapia and shrimp) to become an important source of rural incomes and are providing subsidies for fish and fish processing industries to assist in business Expand, increase food supply, create jobs and improve farmers incomes.

While the development potential of "PV agriculture" is obvious, national policies must be harmonized in the development of standards and frameworks and minimize cumbersome official procedures so that farmers can use them effectively.

Similarly, farmers who use solar panels will need to receive technical training and learn about solar economics.

Fortunately, there are already successful examples. For example, solar power plant enterprises to promote new energy, is working with the local government of Dali County, Shaanxi, in the new pond on the installation of solar panels. This well-known project can produce 1100 megawatts of electricity, the power in addition to the local villagers to provide enough power, the remaining power can be sold to the local power grid company.

The National Energy Board has promised to regulate "PV agriculture". This is good news, but at this time, Shaanxi and other provinces have asked all the new solar installations are applied to agriculture.

Investors are keen to invest in solar energy industry, because the state for solar power to provide electricity tariff subsidies for the industry to provide a long-term protection. However, there are currently no national standards for directing the installation of solar panels on farms. As the local government has its own certification and regulations, it is difficult to improve efficiency and economies of scale.

There are other potential difficulties. One of them is the terrain and climate of each region.

At the same time, agricultural prices and fish prices are cyclical, so when the fish prices fall, some smaller farmers will be closed. It also means that government policies are essential to ensure that solar installations are properly managed in times of hardship.

Chinas great demand for energy, but also extremely need to ensure that food supply. "PV agriculture" offers a great opportunity to meet these two needs. However, to encourage investors to install solar panels in the farm, first of all have to implement the national policy support.