Photovoltaic power plant installation in the Tokyo metropolitan area, Japan, focusing on land use and regulatory ordinances

The location of ground-mounted photovoltaic power plants (PVPPs) may be significantly associated with land use when regulated via ordinance. We examined the distribution of ground-mounted PVPPs with respect to land use and current regulatory ordinances. Multinomial logistic regression analysis and the Tobit model were used to investigate the Tokyo metropolitan area, Japan. The hypothesis on areas with PVPP regulations and where PVPPs were installed was investigated through a case study, including PVPPs of 50 kW or larger within 12,637 meshes. Landscape, industrial, urban, and rural areas were selected as key land-use categories in terms of regulatory ordinance and PVPP scale/accumulation. The results showed that landscape, urban, or rural areas were generally regulated with ordinances to protect landscape and residential environments while industrial areas had the most PVPP installations. Large-scale or accumulations of multiple PVPPs were more likely to be installed in industrial or rural areas, but less likely to be installed in urban and landscape areas. The findings suggest that rural areas, initially accepting PVPPs, had regulatory ordinances enacted as increasing installations led to concerns. For policymakers, establishing regulatory ordinances to control land use before large PVPP installations would be essential to adjust the relationships between PVPP business operators and residents. • Study examined ground-mounted PVPP distribution by land use and regulations. • PVPPs are more common in industrial and rural areas than urban and landscape areas. • Rural areas initially accepted PVPPs but later enacted stricter regulatory ordinances. • PVPP regulation influenced by land use and ordinance in the Tokyo metropolitan area.