Double up on land use to maximise resources
For years, farmers had to decide to stick with their traditional produce or twist and turnover their land for renewables projects. Until recently, it has not been a financially viable option for agriculture and solar panels to live side by side. But new techniques are providing a chance to use increasingly scarce land more efficiently
Combining solar power production and agriculture can help increase the efficient use of land
TECHNICAL DEVELOPMENT New solar panel technologies means larger units that follow the sun's movement can be used to free up space for large farming machinery
LAND ARGUMENT At a time of energy and food security issues, combining agriculture with energy production solves the battle over land use
KEY QUOTE It’s a bid to solve the conflict around the [use of] open land, which we would all like to use for different purposes ...
Try FORESIGHT - 30 days for €29
Related articles
Desert farming with next era solar
Farming in the desert might seem a bit optimistic. An Australian greenhouse uses concentrated solar power to produce energy and become independent of fresh water supplies. The result is 17,000 tons of tomatoes a year.
Seagrass beats rainforests as carbon sink
Pollution is causing seagrass growing on our ocean floors to retreat. Scientists believe the habitat could be an important carbon sink and are working to restore it
Emerging markets gain from the digital evolution of energy
Technology start-ups in Africa are making use of the roll-out of mobile phone networks to bring digital innovation to remote areas through pay-as-you-go models for services that can increase prosperity. For the first time, smallholders can afford solar panels for electricity while others can sign on to thriving energy-as-a-service business models that do not require an initial capital outlay
The shaky case for negative emissions
Achieving negative emissions could bridge the gap for meeting global warming targets, but could also be a dangerous distraction
Driving the transition
Ensuring land use planning and transport policies are on the same page is vital if Auckland, New Zealand is to reduce emissions and meet its low carbon goals
The challenge of decarbonising Europe
While EU energy experts unsurprisingly agreed the leading role renewables and energy efficiency will play in the move to a clean energy economy, speakers at a European Commission conference had widely differing views on what else should be prioritised.
Leave a Reply