Frequently asked questions about solar farms
Agrisolar - or agrivoltaics - is an innovative way to combine agricultural activities with solar energy production by placing solar panels on farmland. As the panels are generating sustainable energy, farming activities can still continue.
By adapting the design of the farm, a combination of farming and generating solar energy is made possible.
This is partly done by plotting sufficient space between the rows of solar panels. That way, enough light and water can reach the soil, keeping it fertile and allowing vegetation to grown between and beneath the panels.
Due to the open space between the panels, the land remains available for agricultural activities such as cultivating grassland, growing low crops or working on biodiversity and soil restoration.
Belgium's energy policy faces major challenges by 2030. According to Elia, electricity demand is expected to rise by 30% compared to 2023 consumption due to the increasing electrification of transport, heating and industry. To meet this growing need for electricity, we require a well-thought-out combination of energy sources. Agrisolar is the most affordable way to produce electricity without the need for grants or subsidies. Thanks to economies of scale, agrisolar is one of the most cost-efficient options (€/MWh) compared to other sources and rooftop solar panels. For comparison, one megawatt of solar energy can be generated with solar panels on 250 homes or just one hectare of farmland. Combined with wind turbines and batteries, this allows us to provide affordable and reliable electricity all year round.
Storm aims to significantly rev up the growth of solar energy capacity in Belgium. That’s why it’s our hope to establish our first solar farms by 2025.
By placing solar panels on farmland, the space has a dual purpose. That makes land use more efficient.
Our solar farms are not just compatible with certain farming activities but also enhance them through soil restoration, crop protection and erosion prevention. Also, they have a positive impact on biodiversity.
For farmers, agrisolar installations provide additional streams of income, making their business even more future-proof.
Thanks to the adapted design of the solar panels, the maximum ground coverage is limited to around 40% of the total area. That way, enough light and water remain available for healthy soil and vegetation growth between and underneath the panels.
We take as many necessary steps as possible to develop our solar farms in harmony with their surroundings. Our projects are often located near existing infrastructure such as industrial estates, railways, high-voltage substations, expressways and motorways, for example. They are also fenced off by green buffers to help them blend into the landscape. These measures will contribute to increasing the biodiversity in the project area.
Any noise will be limited to that of the inverters and the transformer, which cannot be heard beyond the project boundaries.
The solar panels have an anti-reflective coating and are designed to absorb sunlight rather than mirror it back. They actually reflect less light than water does.
For each project, a grid connection request is submitted to the network operator. To accommodate the growing number of decentralised energy plants, network operators are expanding the distribution grid to make it more powerful. Large solar farms are connected to the high-voltage grid, where there is still sufficient capacity available. This prevents any conflicts with the low-voltage grid, which is used by regular household solar panels.
The operational lifespan of a solar farm is 30 years, though the actual use period may be shorter due to the term limitations of certain permits.
There are no concrete foundations used for the installation of the solar panels. The panels are mounted on metal support structures anchored into the ground with pile foundations, which can be easily removed at the end of their lifespan.
After dismantling the entire installation, the farmland is returned to the owner for further cultivation. Both the solar panels and the metal substructures are fully recycled. This happens in three stages: dismantling the panels, shredding the components and finally separating and refining the different materials.
1. DISMANTLING
Solar panels consist of four main components: the aluminium frame, cables, the junction box and the photovoltaic panel with solar cells. The cables and junction box are removed by hand, while the aluminium frame is removed mechanically.
2. SHREDDING
The different components are then mechanically shredded - not unlike using a paper shredder. This process makes it easier to separate the materials and reduces their volume by quite a lot, making transportation after processing an easier job to do.
3. SEPARATING AND REFINING
The panels are made up of a combination of glass, metals and plastic foil. The shredded materials go through multiple separating and refining steps. For instance, the residual glass and plastic foil are repurposed in the cement and road construction industries. This allows them to replace raw materials that would otherwise need to be mined. A smelting process recovers valuable metals.
Today, a recycling rate of over 90% is achieved, depending on the recycling process.
Farmers receive a fixed annual fee throughout the project's lifespan for having solar panels installed on their land. This provides a stable income stream over the entire course of the project (20 to 30 years). Also, the panels protect their crops from extreme weather conditions such as heat or drought.
Farming activities can continue, though the installation of solar panel structures does have an impact on the area. Smaller machinery or an extensive farming approach may be required.
We are happy to discuss this with you. If you have any questions, you can contact us via info@storm.be or call +32 3 210 07 20.
Storm and BASF provide up to 10% direct public participation in our solar farms through local energy co-ops. Once a solar farm is in development, residents will be informed about investment opportunities or the option to purchase the generated electricity.
