Use of solar energy compatible with food production

The massive use of solar panels to capture solar energy in industrial and residential places, once realized, will definitely help in our quest for food security.

This was discussed, among other subjects on solar energy, by esteemed industrial development expert Dominador Maglaqui Jr., popularly known as Tito Maglaqui, during a regular forum with the Capampangan in Media Inc (CAMI) here at Clark Media Center.

“The quest for energy and food security can go hand in hand. This is through agrivoltaics, the interplay of combining solar photovoltaics and agriculture. This way, we preserve the land use for agriculture while powering up communities with clean, renewable, affordable and reliable solar energy”, Maglaqui stressed.

According to Maglaqui, “agrivoltaics also maintains the biodiversity in the ecosystem, promotes farmer inclusion and empowerment, conserves water usage and improves solar energy production. In here, we are not solely concerned about financial dashboards, but the economic and social rates of return.”

Maglaqui also stressed in terms of economics, the use of solar energy is the cheapest and most practical, entailing a minimum savings of 33% of home energy expenses.

As the Managing Director of AlphaSolar Corporation (one of the pioneers in the solar energy space in the Philippines), Maglaqui has, on invitation, discussed the economics of solar power with his media friends. (CAMI/EPC)