Stuart Murphy, head of customer service at the utility company, said the organisation was open to developing ‘dual-use’ fields, and has appealed for growers to come forward if they have land or buildings that could be used to accommodate photovoltaic equipment.
Speaking at the recent Jersey Farmers’ Conference, Mr Murphy suggested that high-tech solar panels could even find a home in fields occupied by livestock.
He told the audience: ‘We are looking for opportunities to work with you. When we look at these locations, these are some of the things that we consider: warehouse roofs that are in good condition and low-quality agricultural land.
‘It’s about finding the right sites. That’s a question for the landowner and the farming community generally, as well as the government from a planning perspective.’
He added: ‘There is also the potential for dual use of land – something called agri-voltaics, where potentially you could have use for solar but also use for other things.
‘It could be planting for biodiversity or it could also be with sheep and solar panels being used side by side, which has been trialled.
‘You can make up your own views on the practicalities of this, but it does exist and it is something that is worthy of discussion. From our point of view it makes sense if it’s [a new solar array] close to the grid and ideally south facing.’
