In a first for Japan, a pioneering experiment is underway to grow rice under a canopy of perovskite-based solar cells, targeting two of the nation’s most pressing challenges: food sustainability and clean energy.
The project officially began with a ceremonial rice planting on May 11 at Chiba University’s Kashiwanoha Campus in Kashiwa. It explores the concept of “solar sharing” by installing thin, flexible perovskite solar panels above a rice paddy. The initiative aims to generate electricity while cultivating crops on the same land, potentially increasing farm income while contributing to climate goals.
Solar sharing is gaining traction as a way to improve the economic sustainability of agriculture. Proponents suggest that revenue from electricity generation can help support farming operations, while the partial shading provided by the panels may protect crops from intense summer heat.
At the Chiba University site, researchers will conduct a three-year study to evaluate the power output and durability of the perovskite solar cells, manufactured by Sekisui Chemical. At the same time, they will monitor the impact on rice yield and quality.
For comparison, traditional silicon solar panels have been installed on an adjacent plot. Researchers anticipate that the lighter perovskite panels will offer advantages, including reduced structural requirements and fewer obstacles for agricultural machinery.
The electricity generated from the project will be used to power facilities on the university campus.
“I hope that rice cultivation nurtured under the latest solar power technology will become a model for a sustainable society,” said Chiba University President Kotaro Yokote during the ceremony.
Mitsuhiro Higashi, head of Terra Inc., a Sosa-based company managing the solar sharing component of the project, expressed ambitions to expand the approach.
“We want to multiply these two environmental technologies with ties to Chiba and spread them to the world,” he said.
