Sector-wide social impact scoping of agrivoltaic systems: A case study in Japan.

Abstract The recent rapid promotion of renewable energy technology (RET) worldwide may have led to a greater social impact on local communities, where multiple otherwise-small individual units of RET are concentrated in one place, as may occur in the case of small photovoltaic power generating units, for example. This study examines such a case of the dissemination of innovative agrivoltaic systems (AVSs), a system in which photovoltaic power facilities are installed above cultivated farmland, across Japanese rural areas. The paper offers a preliminary sector-wide social impact scoping (SSIS) for potential cumulative social impact of a dissemination policy of AVSs. AVSs were predicted to positively impact many local stakeholders. It was found that AVSs themselves improve energy security as they are, but if particular devices are accommodated, energy security is further improved. Several measures, including providing information to farm operators regarding specific examples of favourable economic outcomes and good agricultural practices, are recommended to mitigate any negative impact of AVS installation. Policymakers should undertake SSIS for RET to reveal the variety of views among otherwise reticent stakeholders so that they can eventually increase the positive impact and mitigate the negative impact of RET. Highlights • Sector-wide Social Impact Scoping (SSIS) is proposed. • SSIS is used to assess the potential cumulative social impacts of renewable energy. • Demonstrated via the case of innovative agrivoltaic systems in Japan. • Demonstrated the first SSIS conducted by a Japanese private sector institute. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]