Albanian government approves agrivoltaics

The government of Albania has adopted amendments to its law governing agricultural land to allow agrivoltaics to be developed on specific categories of land. The revision also permits wind energy plants and storage systems on agricultural land under certain conditions.

The amended article, available on the Albanian government’s website, says the council of ministers shall determine the criteria and conditions under which agricultural land can be used for agrivoltaics.

Ministers will also be responsible for establishing the procedures for monitoring the installations, including measures for any violations against the rules, as well as the fee to be paid by entities selling electricity produced by agrivoltaics.

“The fee shall be transferred to a program for agriculture and rural development [in order] to support agriculture,” the article states.

The legislation was approved with 77 votes in favour, with the majority of the rest of the 140 members of Albania’s parliament abstaining.

The approval makes Albania the latest in a series of countries that are introducing laws allowing agrivoltaics under specific conditions. Examples from the last year include South Korea and Israel, while Japan defined new standards for the technology in March.

Albania added around 180 MW of solar last year, taking cumulative capacity past 600 MW.