Israel Unveils Rules to Ensure Solar Farms Preserve Agricultural Land Use
Israel's Ministry of Agriculture and Electricity Authority propose new agrivoltaic rules to ensure solar farms maintain optimal agricultural cultivation.
Jerusalem, 10 September, 2026 (TPS-IL) — Israel’s Ministry of Agriculture and Electricity Authority have published new draft regulations governing agrivoltaic facilities — sites that combine solar energy generation with continued farming on the same land — a sector officials say has potential capacity of about 6 gigawatts over the next decade.
Under the proposed rules, the Ministry will monitor sites for compliance with “optimal agricultural cultivation” standards. Facilities that fail to maintain adequate farming activity will face escalating tariff reductions, starting at 5–10% and rising to 15–20% for continued violations, under a framework now open for public comment.
Officials said the initiative aims to balance renewable energy expansion with safeguarding agricultural land and FOOD SECURITY, while providing regulatory certainty for developers and farmers.