By Abdul Matin Sarfraz

Ontario's decision to ban ground-mounted solar farms on prime agricultural land exposes long-standing differing opinions about whether the two land uses are compatible.

While the Ford government claims the ban is essential to protect the province's valuable farmland, experts warn it could stifle future opportunities for innovative solutions like agrivoltaics, a dual-use system where crops and solar panels coexist, producing both food and energy.

Joshua Pearce, Western University’s John M. Thompson Chair in Information Technology and Innovation, argues that banning solar farms on agricultural land will make Ontario's farmers less competitive compared to those in other jurisdictions that are rushing to install agrivoltaics. 

“Agrivoltaics creates a microclimate near and under the panels that conserves water and protects crops,” Pearce said. “Not only do farmers enjoy lucrative land leases from solar operators, but they also enjoy increased yields on their own crops.” 

He finds it perplexing that the province would outlaw this method. “Who wants to walk up to farmers and tell them to their faces they are not allowed to install a solar system that will increase the food available and their agricultural income and provide them with stable annual income from land leases to the solar developers for 25 years?” Pearce said. “When farmers take a look at the data, I think they are going to be mad,” he added.

Continue reading this article at Canada's National Observer →