The Japanese Ministry of the Environment has announced a budget of JPY 300 million to offer subsidy for solar power generation projects built on farmland, reservoirs and waste disposal sites and has invited proposals for the same.
For agrivoltaic projects, it would encourage local crops to be grown on land. All projects will be assessed within the range of 10 kW to 50 kW and then 50 kW or more. Projects can avail up to 50% of the total cost under the subsidy program till the budget is exhausted.
A local small and medium enterprises (SME) business support website J-Net21 says the selected project cannot avail of feed-in-tariff (FIT) or feed-in-premium (FIP) under other schemes.
The program is being implemented by the General Incorporated Association Environmental Technology Promotion Association. By promoting co-location of projects, Japan with its shortage of land for large scale solar power plants wants efficiently utilize the renewable energy potential of the region while bringing down costs for this clean energy.
According to the ministry, the knowledge of implementation and construction method of projects selected will be summarized, published and expanded horizontally.
Last date to submit proposals for the 1st call is June 17, 2022, post which the ministry may come out with the 2nd call for which submissions will be accepted between June 27, 2022 and July 27, 2022. Further details about the subsidy and the call are available on the association's website.