History and legal aspect of agrivoltaics in Korea

Abstract

In order to overview the history and legal aspect of Agrivoltaics in Korea, it is necessary to review the key facts of Korea photovoltaics and agriculture. Korea imports 95% of its energy supply, mostly fossil fuel such as coal and oil. Korea has the sufficient pool of renewable energy resource. Most of renewable energy resource is solar power (PV). However, Korea is very densely populated country. Therefore, there is not enough un-used land to install the PV power generation system to achieve the energy transition from the fossil fuel to the renewable energy. Agrivoltaics on the agriculture land can potentially provide the land for the PV power generation to achieve the energy transition. Another need of Agrivoltaics in Korea is Korean farmers need more income. Each Korean farmer owns relatively small farmland to cultivate. Farmland economy is not good compared to the booming manufacturing industry in cities. Most young people from the farmland moved to cities. In order to re-invigorate the farmland economy, Agrivoltaics is needed to generate more income to the farmland. Many research and proof projects are initiated from 2016 and on-going. However, Korean Agriculture Land Law prohibits other usage of the agriculture land other than farming. Recently several congressmen have proposed the revision of the Agriculture Land Law to allow the Agrivoltaics.