Israel Approves First National Rules for Solar Farms

Farmers in Israel can now officially combine solar panels with their crops under groundbreaking national rules that protect both agriculture and renewable energy.

Israel's National Planning and Building Council approved the country's first comprehensive plan for agrivoltaics, systems that mount solar panels above active farmland. The regulations ensure farms stay productive while generating clean electricity.

Under the new guidelines, solar panels can cover up to 30% of cultivated land, with the lower edges positioned at least 1.5 meters above ground for field crops. This height allows tractors and other farm equipment to move freely underneath. Orchards and taller crops require panels mounted 4.5 meters high.

The rules protect natural spaces too. Agrivoltaic projects cannot be built in nature reserves, national parks, forests, beaches or streams, and existing wildlife corridors must remain untouched.

Small farmers get a fast track approval process for installations up to one hectare. Larger projects covering up to 100 hectares need detailed plans, and the biggest ones must include dedicated research plots to collect data for the Ministry of Agriculture.

The regulations include smart accountability measures. At least 85% of the land must continue growing crops, and agricultural output under the panels cannot drop below 75% of regional standards for that crop. Some projects need control plots without panels nearby for yield comparisons.

If a farm stops proper cultivation for two continuous years, officials can revoke the permit and require removal of the solar array. This ensures the land stays productive for food, not just energy.

The plan even allows energy storage facilities up to 200 square meters adjacent to agrivoltaic sites, making the systems more efficient.

The Ripple Effect

These rules arrive as countries worldwide wrestle with competing demands for limited land. Agriculture needs space to feed growing populations while climate action requires massive renewable energy expansion.

Agrivoltaics offers an elegant solution. Early research shows many crops actually thrive in partial shade, using water more efficiently while producing comparable yields. Farmers gain an additional income stream from electricity generation without abandoning food production.

Rafi Elmaleh, Director General of Israel's Planning Administration, called the approval a significant milestone that preserves open areas while meeting energy needs during climate change.

Other nations are watching closely as Israel demonstrates how thoughtful regulations can balance food security with clean energy goals.