The Government approved a set of amendments to the Land Code permitting the installation of photovoltaic systems on agricultural land without the requirement of changing its land-use status.

Promoting the bill, Minister of Agriculture and Food Industry Viorel Gherciu stated the measure aims at reducing Moldova’s dependency on electricity imports.

The installation of photovoltaic panels is also advantageous for farmers, who will be able to reduce their costs if they operate cold stores or consume high amounts of energy during production or processing. Similarly, they can be useful in livestock farming.

The bill has been introduced by PAS lawmaker Vladimir Bolea.

Solar photovoltaic systems built on agricultural land will have be attached to the ground by a metal structure, not by the use of reinforced concrete or other types of materials that would affect soil fertility.