Aloe Vera solar farm proposed on Mosta land the size of five football grounds

​Dino Fino, a furniture importer, is proposing the cultivation of aloe vera plants beneath an array of solar panels at Ta’ Buqana in the outskirts of Mosta

Project proposed by Dino Fino for an ‘agrivoltaic farm’ sparks concerns
Project proposed by Dino Fino for an ‘agrivoltaic farm’ sparks concerns

Dino Fino, a furniture importer, is proposing the cultivation of aloe vera plants beneath an array of solar panels at Ta’ Buqana in the outskirts of Mosta.

Described in the planning application as an ‘agrivoltaic farm’, the project foresees the erection of ground-mounted solar panels at heights ranging from 2.5m to 4m.

The project will sprawl over 32,314sq.m of land – the size of five football grounds - in the area between Mosta and Rabat.

However, the project has raised concerns because the targeted site, currently consisting of agricultural fields, holds the designation of an Area of High Landscape Value (AHLV). It is also partly recognized as an Area of Ecological Importance (AEI) and Site of Scientific Importance (SSI).

The Environment and Resources Authority has already raised objections, warning that it would involve the take-up of “undeveloped agricultural land”, potentially compromising the scenic value of the site.

In addition to environmental concerns, the Planning Authority’s internal advisory panel on agricultural issues has warned that the development breaches the rural policy, which permits only small-scale photovoltaic installations on agricultural land. Planning policies instead encourage the location of solar farms in disused quarries, minimizing conflicts with agricultural use.

Additionally, the panel has requested a comprehensive technical report, jointly prepared and endorsed by an engineer and an agronomist, to assess the impact of the proposed solar panels on the daily light requirements of the crops.

But developers who declare owning the entire site have already identified aloe vera as the intended crop for cultivation in this project. Aloe vera, a cactus-like plant commonly used in skincare products, thrives in hot and arid climates and is considered ideal for agrivoltaic systems because it can tolerate partial shade. This makes it adaptable to growing conditions with intermittent sunlight. Aloe vera plants are known for their resilience in drought conditions, enabling them to thrive in environments with limited water availability.

This proposal comes at a time when Italian energy giant Enel is conducting an agriphotovoltaic demonstration project in Italy, Greece, and Spain. The project aims to determine the most compatible crops to coexist with solar power plants and identify optimal layouts for photovoltaic installations. Aloe vera is one of the plants being cultivated in this experiment.

While incorporating solar panels into agriculture ensures that both activities do not compete for scarce land resources, there are concerns about the concentration of land ownership. This issue arises as energy production companies, rather than traditional food producers, could gain significant control over agricultural land through such projects, potentially impacting food sovereignty.

In March 2022 the Planning Authority had  unanimously rejected a proposal for a massive solar farm in Mġarr that would have taken up arable land the size of six football pitches.The development application, filed by Joseph Schembri of Electrofix Group, proposed the construction and installation of over 5,700 photovoltaic solar panels on the rooftops of 90 greenhouses.