Rice Farming Solar Power Generation
Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power Corporation (KHNP) announced on March 29 that the company obtained a patent (patent number: 10-1842066) on a rice farming solar power generation system which can carry out a solar power generation project while cultivating rice for the first time in Korea.
This system is characterized by the fact that the system enables rice planting machines, tractors and combine harvesters as well as farmers to work on paddy fields by securing space between the ground and the bottom of solar power modules.
KHNP hoped that it would be possible to supply additional revenue and renewable energy through solar power generation while farming in farm land which accounts for about 16% of Korea's national land.
A similar system abroad was Japan's solar sharing project based on a 32-cell half module rather than a 72-cell high-efficiency one which was generally used in Korea so there were a few manufacturers of such modules and a small demand for them, KHNP added.
KHNP explained that in June of last year, the company started a demonstration project for the solar power generation system for farmers by applying 72-cell modules and as a result, recorded an 86% rice yield compared to general farm land in November last year. Beginning this year, KHNP will steadily expand large-scale farming solar power generation projects and implement new and win-win renewable energy projects particularly with areas surrounding power plants such as headquarters of nuclear power plants headquarters.