The University of Vigo (ES) is developing a new project (SolAqua) in the framework of Horizon 2020 – call LC-SC3-RES-28-2019 of the Work Programme “Secure, clean and efficient energy” – aimed to promote the use of solar energy in irrigated farming, both in Europe and beyond.

Before reaching that goal, a number of problems need to be addressed: there is a large deficit in knowledge over the technology and there is also a lack of tailored business models for the use of photovoltaic systems (PVI) as well as dedicated financial and policy instruments. To this extent, it is required the identification and diffusion of best practices, environmental impact methodologies, business models and public and private financing instruments suited to PVI.

SolAqua aims to provide concrete solutions to these issues and put together the main players to work on it: the leading organisation worldwide in PVI development, the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM), alongside with the main organisations representing the interest of irrigators in Europe and other organisations with expertise in the relevant fields.

Among the goals of the project is to provide a common framework for the use of regional-level managed European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD), that are key in order to decarbonise European agriculture. In this regard, among other objectives SolAqua is intended to produce an action-oriented dialogue among Public Authorities. To this end, in order to complete the consortia, regions that are EAFRD-managing authorities in irrigated regions are needed!

If you are interested in the topic addressed by SolAqua and you fulfil the required profile, get in touch with the AER Secretariat before 31st October.

Contact:

Agnese Pantaloni, European Projects Coordinator