Economic and Social Aspects of Using Energy from PV and Solar Installations in Farmers’ Households in the Podkarpackie Region

Ryszard Kata, Kazimierz Cyran, Sławomir Dybka, Małgorzata Lechwar and Rafał Pitera
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Ryszard Kata: Institute of Economics and Finance, University of Rzeszow, ul. M. Ćwiklinskiej 2, 35-601 Rzeszów, Poland
Kazimierz Cyran: Institute of Economics and Finance, University of Rzeszow, ul. M. Ćwiklinskiej 2, 35-601 Rzeszów, Poland
Sławomir Dybka: Institute of Economics and Finance, University of Rzeszow, ul. M. Ćwiklinskiej 2, 35-601 Rzeszów, Poland
Małgorzata Lechwar: Institute of Economics and Finance, University of Rzeszow, ul. M. Ćwiklinskiej 2, 35-601 Rzeszów, Poland
Rafał Pitera: Institute of Economics and Finance, University of Rzeszow, ul. M. Ćwiklinskiej 2, 35-601 Rzeszów, Poland

Energies, 2021, vol. 14, issue 11, 1-21

Abstract: The growing energy needs of agriculture, the need to reduce the burning of fossil fuels, and, on the other hand, the increasing technical efficiency are contributing to the wider use of solar energy technology in agriculture. The aim of the article is to identify factors determining farmers’ investments in solar photovoltaic and solar thermal installations for electricity and heat production, to establish the proportion between the consumption of such energy for the needs of the farmer’s family and for the needs of the farm, and to identify the drivers of solar energy use in agricultural production. Empirical materials were collected through surveys of farmers conducted at the end of 2020 in south-eastern Poland, in the Podkarpackie region. It is a region characterized by significant land fragmentation. Producing energy from renewable sources can be an opportunity for farmers not only to reduce household expenses, but also to increase agricultural income. As a result, it can be a driver of sustainable agricultural development in the region. The article presents the most important economic and social determinants that stimulate the adoption of solar photovoltaic and solar thermal technologies by farmers for the needs of their households as well as for agricultural production.

Keywords: photovoltaic installations; solar installations; renewable energy; farmers’ households; agricultural holding; agricultural production (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (6)

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