the need for clean, renewable energy is everincreasing. that's why a growing number of people aretrying to convert their land to solar farms, generating power instead of produce. oh jung-hee brings to light the benefits reapedas well as the side effects and the challenges faced by farmers who try their hands on thisunique diversification.
How Do Solar Panels Produce Electricity, standing at the center of the korean government'snuclear-free, low-carbon energy plan... is a need to increase the production and supplyof renewable, clean energy... from the current 4-point-8 percent to 20-percent by 2030. solar farming -- producing electricity atfarms that aren't in use -- is a much discussed
possible solution. because 10-percent of korea's farmland isleft idle and installing solar panels doesn't harm the farms' ecosystem... farms are quicklybecoming places of electricity generation. additional profit from selling solar energyalso helps farmers earn more. "this farm has solar panels installed quitehigh above the ground,... distanced from each other to minimize their impact on the growthof rice plants below." farmer jung ki-seop manages two farms of thesame size, but one with solar panels and the other without. it's been a month and a half since he plantedthe rice crops... and he says, he can already
see that installing solar panels above riceplants doesn't necessarily lead to a large drop in total yield. "i was really suspicious at first becauseinstalling solar panels would make shade. i was worried. but, as i now compare the rice plants belowthe solar panels with those not under the panels... they both grow well. in fact, those under the solar panels growbetter." the farm fulfills its role in producing sufficientelectricity, though the amount could differ depending on weather each day.
the target amount is 350 kilowatt hours aday... and the farm produced over 500 kilowatt hours of electricity the day before we hadvisited. "all plants have a light saturation point,for rice its 70-percent. that means only 70-percent of the sunlighthelps rice plants to grow, and the excess sunlight doesn't help much. so our idea is to use the remaining 30-percentto produce solar energy." solar farming can be an attractive optionfor farmers, but it could cause problems if it draws in too many farmers and too muchland,... possibly leading to food security concerns and even conflicts between thosefarmers who earn more through solar farming
and those who don't. so experts suggest learning from japan's case:letting farmers continue with solar farming only if they maintain their crop yield atover 80-percent of their original yield. and regional bodies should also play a pivotalrole to bring the benefits of solar farming equally to everyone. "if solar farming is to work, then the residentsand the regional bodies will all have to participate. residents should invest together and the regionalgovernments will have to provide direct or indirect financial assistance to make surethey and their residents receive fair amount of profits."
solar farming is only in its early stagesin korea,... and the korean government is considering allowing the building of renewableenergy facilities at farming-only areas. a clear plan on that is wanted as soon aspossible... to maximize the benefits of solar farming and to tackle any concerns. oh jung-hee, arirang news.
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