Agrivoltaics in Ontario Canada: Promise and Policy

Abstract

Well-intentioned regulations to protect Canada’s most productive farmland restrict large-scale solar photovoltaic (PV) development. The recent innovation of agrivoltaics, which is the co-development of land for both PV and agriculture, makes these regulations obsolete. Burgeoning agrivoltaics research has shown agricultural benefits, including increased yield for a wide range of crops, plant protection from excess solar energy and hail, and improved water conservation, while maintaining agricultural employment and local food supplies. In addition, the renewable electricity generation decreases greenhouse gas emissions while increasing farm revenue. As Canada, and Ontario in particular, is at a strategic disadvantage in agriculture without agrivoltaics, this study investigates the policy changes necessary to capitalize on the benefits of using agrivoltaics in Ontario. Land-use policies in Ontario are reviewed. Then, three case studies (peppers, sweet corn, and winter wheat) are analysed for agrivoltaic potential in Ontario. These results are analysed in conjunction with potential policies that would continue to protect the green-belt of the Golden Horseshoe, while enabling agrivoltaics in Ontario. Four agrivoltaic policy areas are discussed: increased research and development, enhanced education/public awareness, mechanisms to support Canada’s farmers converting to agrivoltaics, and using agrivoltaics as a potential source of trade surplus with the U.S.

Do agrivoltaics improve public support for solar? A survey on perceptions, preferences, and priorities

“…Given that agrivoltaics is a relatively nascent form of solar development, even in areas with a mature PV industry and substantial agricultural production having little agrivoltaics [83], there is a dearth of social science research dedicated to investigating the social acceptability and perceptions of the technology. Existing research concerned with the social dimensions of agrivoltaic development suggests that community acceptance, farmer adoption, and local regulatory environments will play a crucial role in the broader realization of these systems [57,63,78,80,81].…”

The Agrivoltaic Potential of Canada

“…With a population growth rate of 0.86% year [26], Canada is already under intense pressure to convert farmland into housing [27,28]. There is a long list of studies that indicate a solution to the energy-land use issue could be through agrivoltaics: the dual use of land for both electricity generation via solar photovoltaic systems and farming [29][30][31][32][33]. An increase in PV systems deployments in Canada is beneficial for both local and global environments as solar energy is a sustainable energy source [34].…”

“…An increase in PV systems deployments in Canada is beneficial for both local and global environments as solar energy is a sustainable energy source [34]. It shows particular promise in Canada when applied as a dual use on agricultural land [29]. Photovoltaics is a net energy producer, which means the energy consumed during its production is generated multiple times over its warranty lifespan of 25 to 30 years [35], with its technical lifetime being much longer than this [36][37][38].…”

Energy Policy for Agrivoltaics in Alberta Canada

“…This Canadian PV growth is good for the local, national and global environment as solar PV is a well-established sustainable energy source [8] and shows promise to be integrated into farms [9]. PV is a net energy producer, which makes up for the invested energy in its production many times over its 25 or 30-year lifetime under warranty [10].…”

“…Fortunately, a long and rapidly expanding list of studies show that it is possible to have large-scale solar PV growth while protecting agricultural production using the new innovation of agrivoltaics. Agrivoltaics is the strategic co-development of land for both solar PV electrical generation and agriculture production [9,[29][30][31][32].…”