Are Solar Farms Really Displacing Agricultural Land?

In debates about renewable energy, it is often claimed that installing solar panels on farmland renders it unusable for agriculture – taking away precious space needed for food production. This assertion has long been central to the discussion. But does it hold up?

The facts say otherwise: by the end of 2024, photovoltaic (PV) ground-mounted systems in Germany covered around 45,200 hectares. Of this, just over a quarter (26%) was on so-called conversion land (e.g. former military sites or landfills), a further 34% on arable land, and roughly 16% on grassland and roadside strips.

Looking at the bigger picture, PV systems make up just 0.1% (15,200 hectares) of Germany’s total arable area of 11.7 million hectares.