South Korea is leading an innovative renewable energy effort that addresses how to resolve the key conflict between land use and protection. Historic solar farms generally require extensive deforestation; Studies published in the journal Scientific Reports indicate that conventional solar farms could eliminate 98% of existing tree biomass.
However, the new design of “solar trees”, consisting of rows of tall poles with an array of photovoltaic panels, integrates vertical arrays within forest canopies and enables projects with 99 percent canopy cover and a total generation capacity equivalent to conventional solar farms. Therefore, this new dual-use solar design can protect essential climate “carbon sinks” and support local biodiversity, suggesting that green energy generation and forest protection can work together.
How solar trees in South Korea solve a problem Deforestation dilemma
The primary obstacle to large-scale solar power generation in mountainous regions such as South Korea is that many flat-area sites will require the removal of trees that provide carbon sequestration. According to research published in the journal Scientific Reports, the use of solar trees (tall PV systems mounted on poles) will keep the vast majority of the forest’s bottom and understory undisturbed, while traditional ground-mounted PV systems will almost completely clear the forest.
With their tall pole-mounted designs, solar trees also contribute to protection by retaining up to 99 percent of the tree canopy’s biomass.
3D simulations prove that solar trees are compatible with conventional energy
To ensure that these “solar trees” continued to produce at maximum efficiency despite receiving less than full sunlight due to the trees surrounding them, the researchers used 3D geospatial information and simulations to determine how high they should be and where to place them so they could clear out the surrounding natural tree canopy.
The research showed that solar trees can provide the same amount of energy as traditional solar arrays without having the same environmental footprint as traditional solar arrays.
Why are land-scarce countries turning to solar trees?
Solar trees are a specialized application of agricultural solar energy, promoted by several organizations the International Energy Agency (IEA) and the US Department of Energy (DOE), as they relate to solar energy and agricultural solar energy implemented in the same area or using the same space.
Government-sponsored research suggests that countries with limited land mass committed to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050 should use vertical space rather than horizontal land.
Solar trees protect forests as sinks of active carbon
Preventing the destruction of existing forests is one of the key recommendations of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) to mitigate the effects of climate change. By using solar trees to prevent deforestation, the area remains a carbon store and absorbs carbon dioxide while producing carbon-free electricity from solar panels. This results in a “net positive” impact on the environment compared to the large-scale deforestation associated with traditional solar projects.