Philippines Launches Solar Farms That Grow Food and Fish

The Philippines just announced plans to build solar farms that do double duty: generating clean electricity while growing food and raising fish.

The country's Department of Energy is preparing its ninth green energy auction, but this one has a unique twist. Instead of choosing between farmland and solar panels, the program will fund projects that combine both.

Called agrisolar and aquasolar, these installations place solar panels above crops or fish farms. Farmers can grow shade-tolerant vegetables underneath the panels, while fish farmers can raise seafood in ponds beneath floating solar arrays. The panels provide clean energy while the land and water below continue producing food.

The innovative approach targets abandoned or underused agricultural land and water resources across the Philippine islands. By stacking these uses, communities won't have to sacrifice farming for clean energy or vice versa.

The Department of Energy partnered with the Department of Agriculture to design the program, recognizing that rural communities need both reliable electricity and food security. The auction guidelines are set to be published in late 2026, giving developers time to plan projects that serve both needs.

This marks the latest expansion of the Philippines' ambitious green energy program. The country plans to auction off 25 gigawatts of renewable energy capacity by 2035, enough to power millions of homes. Previous auctions have covered rooftop solar, ground-mounted systems, and floating solar panels.

The government is also planning a separate auction to bring solar and battery storage to 20 remote islands currently dependent on diesel generators. These communities often pay the highest electricity rates while breathing the dirtiest air.

The momentum is real. The Philippines added 899 megawatts of solar capacity in 2025 alone, bringing its total solar installation to nearly 4 gigawatts. That's enough clean energy to replace several coal plants.

The Ripple Effect

This dual-purpose approach could reshape how developing nations think about the tradeoff between energy and agriculture. For decades, countries faced an impossible choice: use limited land for farming or for clean energy infrastructure.

The Philippines is proving that choice is false. Farmers maintain their livelihoods while their communities gain access to affordable clean power. Rural areas that were last in line for grid electricity could leapfrog straight to renewable energy without losing agricultural productivity.

If successful, the model could spread across Southeast Asia and beyond, where millions of farming communities need both reliable electricity and food security.

The Philippines is showing the world that solving one problem doesn't mean creating another.