A project in Fukuchiyama, Kyoto Prefecture, is combining solar power generation with mushroom farming. Known as agrivoltaics, the setup places solar panels over plastic tunnels where wood ear mushrooms are grown on substrate blocks. The facility covers about 3,800 square meters and generates 200,000 kilowatt-hours per year, enough to power roughly 51 households. That electricity goes to municipal schools and other public buildings as part of the city's plan to reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. The mushrooms are harvested from June to October, with each block yielding about 2 kilograms. The current 200 blocks produce around 400 kilograms annually, but the operator, agricultural corporation Sasaki, aims to scale up to 20,000 blocks in Fukuchiyama and 100,000 nationwide. The mushrooms will be used in plant-based egg alternatives for people with egg allergies or those avoiding animal products. The project started supplying power in December 2025 and is the first initiative under the city's sustainable energy platform launched in 2024.
