"Petit Solar" on Farmland: Restrictions Eased

Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) of Japan published in late March a new operation policy about solar facility on farmland.

If solar panels are propped up high, a "temporal diversion" of the basement land can now be approved.

Some of the conditions are:
1) The support frames are simple and easy to be removed.
2) The area divided by support frames is as minimum as required and is proper.
3) It is reliable to cultivate crops with enough sunlight under the panels.
4) There must be enough space under the panels for agricultural machines to be used efficiently.

And the entrepreneur should report the status quo once a year in order to prolong the approval.

The area of abandoned agricultural fields has been increasing in Japan. It can be said that the ministry changed its policy on solar facility on farmland at last.

Nikkei Sangyo Shimbun: 2013/05/06 7:00
http://www.nikkei.com/article/DGXNASDD300HQ_R00C13A5000000/