Can Solar Agriculture Save The Modern Farming Industry? By Ed Kennedy -Jun 25, 2020 A farmer’s life has always been one of hard toil and many challenges. It’s no revelation to say in 2020 there are more challenges than ever before for farmers and the industry as a whole. Their causes are complex and diverse, and the realities of technological advancement and globalization have oftentimes added additional ordeals to their existence. But it can’t be overlooked such phenomena has also brought many benefits to farming. So even though the industry looks upon a new decade with greater hurdles for its survival than ever before, there’s also the promise of emerging technology coming into mass use. Technology that can help farmers not only sustain, but thrive. Solar is an essential part of this new dynamic. From the 1800s to 2020 The Industrial Revolution made farming more efficient. But it also brought about the painful demise of the previous economic model. As technology advanced it allowed harvesting to be done more quickly but at the expense of the labor pool. The loss of jobs as a result of innovations in farming has become a common trend ever since. Such new advents and alterations to the existing model farmers have often welcomed and detested with equal measure. At the same time, the way the demand for agricultural exports operates has changed too. In decades gone by the capacity for far-distant nations to trade agricultural goods was—while by no means impossible in every instance—a far more difficult prospect. Today (allowing for the impact the coronavirus pandemic has temporarily placed on the process) the global exchange of agricultural goods is done with an ease and speed that would’ve been unimaginable in bygone eras. But this too has often placed a new pressure on farmers. Yes, unquestionably some have benefited—and benefited massively from such a change—as farms that produce world-class “clean and green” goods now have a truly international market to export to. But for those who sell more routine goods, or find the international market has saturated their domestic audience with the same products they sell, the path to maintaining a steady profit year in and year out has become much harder. Ultimately, such trends are not just problems for farmers, but for all others. Especially those within their native nations. It’s anticipated the years ahead will see the world become more unstable as a result of numerous factors, not the least of which the growing threat of climate change. In this regard, essentially every nation will face new pressures upon its quest for food security. It’s expected the survival of farmingas a viable career and economic model will have growing urgency, locally and globally. It is here that solar could be such an important element going forward. Solar as a savior? Solar agriculture (AKA “agrophotovoltaics” and “dual-use farming”) allows farmers to install solar panels that offer a way to make their energy use more efficie...

Southeast Asian Solar Power Set to Surge as Costs Drop Below Natural-Gas Generation By Andrew Burger-20, 2019 Southeast Asian nations are stepping up plans to invest in and deploy solar power as the cost has dropped below that for gas-fired power plants, according to analysts and government officials. The region, where power demand is expected to double by 2040, is striving to expand the share of renewable sources as developing nations seek affordable electricity while battling climate change. ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) members have forged themselves into leading industrial and export-driven manufacturing hubs in recent decades. They have been lagging behind when it comes to deploying solar and other emissions-free energy resources, however; that despite having committed to achieving UN renewable energy and climate change goals. Regionally, Southeast Asia’s cumulative solar photovoltaic (PV) capacity could nearl triple to 35.8 gigawatts (GW) in 2024 from an estimated 12.6 GW this year, according to consultancy Wood Mackenzie. Expected to have installed a cumulative solar power capacity of 5.5 GW by the end of this year, 44% of the total, region-wide capacity, highlighted Wood Mackenzie power and renewables analyst, Rishab Shrestha. That compares with 134 MW last year. Solar power progresses across Southeast Asia In addition, Malaysia recently completed a 500-megawatt (MW) solar power auction via which a bid for 365 MW of new solar capacity came in below the average cost of building natural gas-fired power plants, Minister of Energy, Science, Technology, Environment and Climate Change Yeo Bee Yin highlighted. The country intends to carry out at least one more-500 MW tender in next year’s second quarter, Yeo said. More broadly, Malaysia intends to increase its renewable energy for electricity generation from 6% at present to 20% by 2025. The majority is expected to be solar power. “For the first time in the history of Malaysia we have a large-scale solar energy costs that is less than gas,” Yeo said at Singapore International Energy Week. “We now finally have an alternative energy that is cheaper than gas to replace our peak energy demand at midday.” Another regional industrial and trading leader, Singapore set a goal of installing at least 2 GW of peak solar power capacity by 2030—more than 10% of current peak electricity. Natural-gas power generation supplies 95% of Singapore’s national generation capacity at present. Installing 2 GW of solar capacity could potentially replace that with emissions-free, solar power capacity, Wood Mackenzie Power & Renewables points out. “This being presented by the (Singaporean) authorities is very interesting as this points towards firm political determination to go towards a low-carbon economy in a constrained world,” added Francesco La Camera, Director-General of International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA). Furthermore, “There need to be some good measures to ensure that investors feel...