{"id":903,"date":"2020-06-22T12:43:53","date_gmt":"2020-06-22T03:43:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.isep.or.jp\/en\/?p=903"},"modified":"2021-10-18T14:15:41","modified_gmt":"2021-10-18T05:15:41","slug":"farming-meets-solar-power-in-africa-webinar-6-30","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.isep.or.jp\/en\/903\/","title":{"rendered":"Farming meets solar power in Africa – Part 1 (Webinar 6\/30)"},"content":{"rendered":"[vc_row type=”in_container” full_screen_row_position=”middle” scene_position=”center” text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” overlay_strength=”0.3″ shape_divider_position=”bottom” bg_image_animation=”none”][vc_column column_padding=”padding-5-percent” column_padding_position=”left-right” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_link_target=”_self” column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” width=”1\/1″ tablet_width_inherit=”default” tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid” bg_image_animation=”none”][vc_column_text]Institute for Sustainable Energy Policies is pleased to invite you to our webinar on \u201cFarming meets solar power in Africa: food and energy security for sustainable African communities towards post COVID-19 society<\/span><\/em><\/strong>\u201d co-hosted by Mali-Folkecenter Nyetaa.[\/vc_column_text][vc_row_inner column_margin=”default” top_padding=”5%” bottom_padding=”5%” text_align=”left”][vc_column_inner column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” column_link_target=”_self” width=”1\/1″ tablet_width_inherit=”default” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid” bg_image_animation=”none”][vc_video link=”https:\/\/youtu.be\/AWwcTtF6NtM” align=”center”][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][divider line_type=”Full Width Line” line_thickness=”1″ divider_color=”accent-color” custom_height=”25″][vc_row_inner column_margin=”default” top_padding=”5%” bottom_padding=”5%” text_align=”left”][vc_column_inner column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” column_link_target=”_self” width=”1\/1″ tablet_width_inherit=”default” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid” bg_image_animation=”none”][nectar_highlighted_text highlight_color=”rgba(85,139,108,0.3)” style=”half_text”]\n

Report on the Webinar<\/em><\/h3>\n[\/nectar_highlighted_text][vc_column_text]The first webinar of the \u201cFarming meets solar power in Africa \u2013 Food and energy security for sustainable African communities towards post-COVID-19 society\u201d webinar series provided an overview of the ongoing development of agrivoltaics in East Asia and the potential to transfer the technology to Africa. Four distinguished speakers from Japan, South Korea, Mali, and Kenya gave presentations followed by a panel discussion about how agrivoltaics can effectively solve the challenges of African farmers.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Dr. Ibrahim Togola, the co-founder of the Mali Folkecenter Nyetaa and the rural electrification company ACCESS, emphasized the potential benefits of agrivoltaics in Mali, where 80% of the population lives in rural areas with an electrification rate of less than 18%. The introduction of agrivoltaics in rural communities could significantly raise socio-economic factors by increasing the accessibility of electricity, improving food security, promoting job creation, and reducing health and gender issues.<\/p>\n

Marco Borghesi, a business development executive from InspiraFarms in Kenya, presented a hybrid system consisting of cold storage, a PV system, and a battery that has the potential to reduce diesel consumption by 80%. This design guarantees the best balance of C02<\/sub> emission reduction and affordable electricity prices.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Tetsunari Iida, the founder and chairperson of ISEP, explained the current agrivoltaics development in Japan and its importance in the green recovery post-COVID-19. Japan is an early adopter and already has a lot of experience growing various crops in an agrivoltaics setting. Many benefits could be observed, like improved land-use efficiency, protection of crops against over-radiation, and cooling effects that are beneficial for both electricity generation and agricultural production. Furthermore, agrivoltaics development leads to more green jobs, an improved local economy, and, of course, climate mitigation, which are all crucial factors for a green recovery.<\/p>\n

Finally, Dr. Cheolhyun Lim, Head of Solar energy R&D Department of the Green Energy Institute in South Korea, explained the promotion status of agrivoltaics in Korea. The South Korean government aims to install 10 GW of agrivoltaics until 2030 within their Renewable Energy 3020 Plan. Agrivoltaics is actively promoted because it can improve the farmer\u2019s income and increase the share of solar PV without sealing valuable agricultural land.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>The consensus in the following discussion was that it is crucial to establish a first agrivoltaics pilot project in Mali as soon as possible. It is vital to get practical experience in the specific local context and follow a \u201clearning by doing\u201d approach. The lessons from the initial pilot projects can then improve the following projects and disseminate agrivoltaics on a larger scale in Mali and Africa.<\/p>\n

Please feel free to watch the recorded webinar on YouTube if you are interested in hearing the full presentations and discussion. We also included French subtitles for our francophone audience.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][divider line_type=”Full Width Line” line_thickness=”1″ divider_color=”accent-color” custom_height=”25″][vc_row_inner column_margin=”default” top_padding=”5%” bottom_padding=”5%” text_align=”left”][vc_column_inner column_padding=”padding-5-percent” column_padding_position=”all” background_color=”rgba(180,199,220,0.1)” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” column_link_target=”_self” width=”1\/1″ tablet_width_inherit=”default” column_border_width=”2px” column_border_color=”#00428d” column_border_style=”double_offset” bg_image_animation=”none”][vc_custom_heading text=”International Webinar Series on Agrivoltaics in Africa” font_container=”tag:h3|text_align:left” google_fonts=”font_family:Libre%20Baskerville%3Aregular%2Citalic%2C700|font_style:400%20italic%3A400%3Aitalic”][divider line_type=”No Line” custom_height=”20″][vc_column_text]Agrivoltaics<\/span><\/strong><\/em> is an economically and environmentally rational technology to produce both food and electricity on your farm or PV plants at the same time. It is rapidly gaining popularity in many countries but not yet in Africa.<\/p>\n

It is important to consider unique situation of African countries to localize agrivoltaic technology. Therefore, in this seminar series, we will listen from both sides, from African countries and from agrivoltaic-rich countries to find a feasible way to introduce agrivoltaics to Africa. We will hold a webinar at least once a month, focusing on a different aspect of agrivoltaics each time.[\/vc_column_text][divider line_type=”No Line” custom_height=”15″][image_with_animation image_url=”949″ alignment=”center” animation=”Fade In” border_radius=”none” box_shadow=”none” max_width=”100%”][divider line_type=”No Line” custom_height=”15″][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][vc_column_text]This seminar series is perfect for you if you want to:<\/p>\n