Dutch solar body hits back at government ban on agrivoltaics

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Reddit
Email
As it stands less than 1% of the Netherlands’ farmland deploys solar PV, but Holland Solar said the technology will be essential to the country’s transition plans. Image: Pristine Sun Corporation

The Dutch solar trade body Holland Solar has called for the government to reverse its decision to limit PV deployments on agricultural land.  

On 6th July, the Minister of Climate and Energy sent a letter to Dutch Parliament proposing a nationwide ban on solar deployments on agricultural land, a practice that takes multiple forms often grouped under the banner of ‘agrivoltaics’.

This article requires Premium SubscriptionBasic (FREE) Subscription

Try Premium for just $1

  • Full premium access for the first month at only $1
  • Converts to an annual rate after 30 days unless cancelled
  • Cancel anytime during the trial period

Premium Benefits

  • Expert industry analysis and interviews
  • Digital access to PV Tech Power journal
  • Exclusive event discounts

Or get the full Premium subscription right away

Or continue reading this article for free

In a response letter, Holland Solar said that the decision whether or not to pair solar PV and agriculture should be left to local authorities, and suggested that a nationally-imposed ban does not work in the best interests of either farmers or net zero targets.

Renewable energy projects can bring financial benefits to farmers and local community cooperatives alike, Holland Solar said, and the ban fails to do justice to the previously-established agreements, codes of conduct and cooperative frameworks across the different municipal regions.

The ban does include some exceptions, but the trade body said that these are unclear and uncertain, thus making it impossible for solar developers or landowners to proceed with any agriPV projects. It said that it was ‘ondenkbaar’ [inconceivable] that the government’s energy transition plan will succeed without PV on agricultural land.

Last week the Netherlands released its updated National Energy and Climate Plan for approval by Brussels, in which it said that it would ramp up renewable energy output and manufacturing. Wijnand van Hooff, general director of Holland Solar said that relying on rooftop and utility-scale solar on unused land would not be sufficient to meet the electricity supply needs of the plan, which would see far greater electrification across the country.

Holland Solar also pointed out that solar PV is currently in place on just 0.12% of the agricultural land in the Netherlands – 2,170 of a total 1.8 million hectares. A similar thing is true of the UK, as published by PV Tech Premium earlier this year.

As is the case with all agrivoltaics, this 0.12% of land is dual-purpose and often mutually beneficial for agricultural practice and energy generation. Beyond the obvious financial benefits of dual-use land, solar panels can offer shade to fruit crops or smaller livestock in the summer, as well as promoting biodiversity and sheltering for smaller organisms and plants. Transpiring water vapour from crops can also cool solar panels, which makes them more efficient, and sheep or cows can act as ground maintenance to prevent grass or trees overgrowing and shading panels.

In the last few months, Farmers’ protests have been ongoing in the Netherlands over government plans to halve nitrogen emissions by 2030, many of which come from the country’s large agricultural sector. As governments and energy companies look to increase renewable energy installations and reduce the impact of emissions-intensive industries, agrivoltaics has the potential to show the way forward in collaboration between essential old and new industries.

Read Next

October 15, 2025
The Australian government has approved the 141MW Forbes Solar Farm Project in New South Wales in just 19 days, marking one of the fastest environmental approvals on record in the country.
October 15, 2025
Australia has opened registrations for Capacity Investment Scheme (CIS) Tender 7, which targets 5GW of renewable energy generation capacity across the National Electricity Market (NEM).
October 14, 2025
The curtailment of solar PV and wind capacity in Chile has reached 3.2TWh as of August 2025, a slight increase from the same period in 2024.
Premium
October 14, 2025
OCI Holdings’ decision this week to buy a Vietnamese solar wafer facility to supply the US solar cell manufacturing industry makes clear the biggest vulnerability facing the sector today.
October 14, 2025
German IPP wpd has started construction at its 140.6MW Marcy solar park in the Nièvre department of central France.
October 14, 2025
Levanta Renewables will develop a 166MWp ground-mounted solar and storage project in the Visayas Islands as part of the Philippines’ Fourth Green Energy Auction. 

Subscribe to Newsletter

Upcoming Events

Solar Media Events
October 21, 2025
New York, USA
Solar Media Events
November 25, 2025
Warsaw, Poland
Solar Media Events
December 2, 2025
Málaga, Spain
Solar Media Events
February 3, 2026
London, UK