agriculture - Elite Home & Solar

Solar Energy

Gridparity builds large agri-PV system with trackers

February 14, 2025 ryansheehanrts

The solar array on farmer Stefan Jatzkowsky’s field in Bad Sassendorf in the west of Germany should be ready by spring. However, the construction of the tracker system with an installed capacity of 933 kilowatts is not done overnight. That is why the craftsmen from Gridparity wanted to start building the agri-PV system in the summer 2024.

Don’t miss any important information about the solar energy transition in agruculture! Simply subscribe to our free newsletter.

Construction in a bird sanctuary

However, due to the protracted approval process for the elevated installation in a bird sanctuary, the start of construction was postponed until November 2024. The challenge was that the weather conditions became more difficult at this point. Heavy rain, snowfall, ice and strong winds made the work a real obstacle course. However, despite these unfavourable conditions, Gridparity managed to construct the plant on time by mid-January 2025.

Agri-PV: How to succeed on the path to regenerative and sustainable agriculture

Agriculture still possible

The system consists of trackers elevated at a height of 2.2 metres. The individual rows of trackers are each seven metres apart. This will allow agricultural use to continue almost without restriction. The farmer is only unable to cultivate one strip between the posts of the mounting system. However, this serves to improve biodiversity. This is because insects can colonise the area. It also provides shelter for birds.

How to activate agricultural areas to produce solar electricity? Download our special here!

High yield from the tracker

By using the tracker, the farmer can increase the system’s yield to a whopping 1,248,000 kilowatt hours, which also benefits the sustainability of neighbouring farms. At the same time, farmer Stefan Jatzkowsky can show how small tracker systems close to the farm can be harmonised with different agricultural crops. The semi-transparent double-glazed modules used also ensure an improved microclimate under the solar installation.

Ioannis Chatzichristofis: “a key prerequisite is the modernization of the Polish electricity grid”

Scientific support

Among other things, the scientific monitoring of the project by Haus Düsse, which is located in the immediate vicinity in Bad Sassendorf, focuses on how this microclimate affects the growth of the plants. This is the experimental and training centre for agriculture in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia in Bad Sassendorf. The researchers also want to find out which plants grow well under the modules. Various organic grain varieties, such as original spelt, are to be cultivated for this purpose. Haus Düsse already operates a small pilot plant with an output of around 17 kilowatts at the site, which is used for demonstration and research purposes. (su)

Source link

Solar Energy

How to succeed on the path to regenerative and sustainable agriculture

February 10, 2025 ryansheehanrts

The dual use of arable land for food and solar power production not only provides farmers with greater sustainability, but also with substantial profits. Analysts from Boston Consulting and agri-PV experts from Baywa r.e. have looked at how this dual use can support farms in their transition to renewable agriculture.

Agri-PV finances the transition

The result: photovoltaics can play a key role in helping the transition to more sustainable land usage. Just the financing of this transition is easier in combination with photovoltaics. The analysts looked at three different sizes of farms to see all the financial benefits they could expect from combining sustainable agriculture and photovoltaics.

Don’t miss any important information about the solar energy transition in agruculture! Simply subscribe to our free newsletter.

Farmers benefit in the long run

The figures speak for themselves. A medium-sized farm can generate additional annual profits of between 55,000 and 75,000 euros in the long term with so-called regenerative agriculture. It even has an impact on small farms. Analysts forecast additional profits of between 15,000 and 17,000 euros in the long term. These benefits will be somewhat lower in the first few years – not least due to the necessary investments. These additional profits increase all the more in the following years. Agri-PV in particular can provide farmers with financial support when transitioning.

PV from field and barn: Our special for the dual harvest on farms

Three different farms analysed

In the study, the authors initially describe what agri-PV is and the advantages of solar systems for agricultural land. In the second part, they describe the cash flows in the phase of transition to regenerative agriculture. They looked at three different farms in Germany as examples. On the one hand, there is the small farm with 25 hectares of arable land and 25 hectares of grassland. A medium-sized farm with 200 hectares of arable land and 100 hectares of grassland was included in the analysis. There is also a large arable farm with 1,000 hectares of land.

How to combine agri-PV with wind power and storage?

Business models analysed

These three different farms have different business models for utilising solar power. For example, self-consumption is possible for all farms, although this only makes sense for a smaller farm without a partner. The use of the feed-in tariffs or market bonuses is also possible for all farm sizes, while the direct power purchase agreement (PPA) is particularly interesting for large agricultural enterprises.

You can find the complete study on the Boston Consulting Group website. (su)

Source link

Solar Energy

Pure Energy for Posh Fashion

February 4, 2025 ryansheehanrts

According to its own statements, the fashion company has been investing in power-purchase-agreements from photovoltaic and wind farms for years. In 2021, H&M announced a partnership with solar farm developer Lightsource bp. In October 2024, Ulrika Leverenz, Head of Green Investment at H&M Group, explained: “Considering fashion’s environmental impact, we see great value in moving away from just using certificates to contributing to more clean energy. By partnering with solar and wind farm developers, we can more actively help build renewable electricity capacity in power grids around the world”.

Also intersting: Poland: Expert Energy Storage Conference in Warsaw

Fashion invests in storage

In June last year, the fashion platform “fashionunited.de” reported that the Swedish H&M Group would not only cooperate with the battery manufacturer Rondo Energy but would also invest in the company. As stated in the article dated June 2024, H&M is joining the strategic advisory board for investors to “further support the manufacturer Rondo in providing clean, affordable heat for textile factories around the world” (quote fashionunited.de). The fashion industry is considered “difficult to decarbonize.” 10 percent of global CO2 emissions are attributed to the fashion industry. In addition, the industry has a tarnished image due to inhumane working conditions and low wages, including child labour. The investment in Rondo is said to be the first of its kind at H&M.

Also interesting: Expert tips: 9 strategies to optimize PV installations

Poland in focus

Against this background, the power purchase agreement between R.Power and the H&M Group seems logical. It is interesting that the contract was concluded with a Polish company, which indicates growing attention to the Polish PV industry and the increasing importance of Polish companies in this area. After all, Poland ranks fifth in Europe in terms of PV installations, and this number is rising. For the H&M Group, it is the first power-purchase-agreement in Poland, explains Ulrika Leverenz, Head of Green Investments at the H&M Group: “For several years, the H&M Group has been exploring opportunities worldwide to contribute to decarbonization through power purchase agreements from renewable electricity generation. We are pleased to sign our first agreement in Poland with R.Power. Given the environmental impact of the fashion industry, it is very important to us to contribute to the production of clean energy.”

Also intersting: Sunny prospects: Poland’s photovoltaics in numbers

The Polish companion to more sustainable fashion

R.Power is a Polish solar energy producer based in Warsaw with operations in Romania, Italy, Portugal, Spain and Germany. The company covers the entire value chain of the solar energy sector, from Engineering, Procurement & Construction, Operations & Maintenance and Independent Power Production.

(mg)

Source link

Solar Energy

Solar electricity in agriculture: Biogas from the sun

February 3, 2025 ryansheehanrts

When it comes to green energy production in agriculture, the biogas plant immediately pops up in the mind’s eye. In fact, most of these systems are installed on farms. Only a few of them are operated by municipalities or local authorities. But a biogas plant does not run by itself.

It needs auxiliary energy to operate various pumps, screw conveyors and the agitator, among other things. Drawing this energy from the electricity grid is hardly economical, as the electricity price from the utility has long been higher than the remuneration for the electricity fed into the distribution grid.

Don’t miss any important information about the solar energy transition in agruculture! Simply subscribe to our free newsletter.

Johannes Steuer developed a solution to this problem together with IBC Solar, a system house for photovoltaic systems and storage systems from Bad Staffelstein in Upper Franconia. They were supported by the experts from Elektro Kondra, a specialist partner of IBC Solar. Steuer runs his farm in Burgkunstadt, a small town in the Franconian district of Lichtenfels. He uses the manure from his animals as raw material for the biogas plant, which powers two combined heat and power units (CHP) with the gas produced.

30 kilowatts for auxiliary power

The auxiliary power is supplied by a photovoltaic system with an output of 30 kilowatts. This generates so much electricity that – in purely mathematical terms – it can provide more than half of the auxiliary power consumed by the biogas plant throughout the year.

How to combine agri-PV with wind power and storage?

However, since the solar energy is not always available when the pumps, the agitator and the screw conveyors are running, the solar generator can actually provide only a quarter of the auxiliary energy for the biopower plant.

Storage unit covers peak loads

To improve this value and to be able to operate the biogas plant with its own electricity even in times without sunshine, IBC Solar has installed an additional battery storage system. This temporarily stores the solar power that is not directly used by the consumers in the plant.

If the yield from the solar plant is not sufficient, the storage unit supplies the energy for the biogas plant. „The output of 18 kilowatts is sufficient to cover the load peaks of the biogas plant,“ explains Andreas Lipphardt, responsible for technical support for commercial customers at IBC Solar. „These occur repeatedly for about half an hour throughout the day and night. After that, the consumers stand still again for two hours before they start up again.“

Agri-PV: “Dual use with animal husbandry has great potential”

With a usable storage capacity of 72 kilowatt-hours, Johannes Steuer can double the power supply of the biogas system with his own solar power and thus also run it almost half with solar energy in real terms in the annual balance. To do this, he uses more than three quarters of the solar power generated.

He feeds the remaining quarter into the grid and receives compensation for it according to the EEG, the renewable energy law in Germany. „The consumers in the biogas plant are also easy to regulate, so self-consumption and the degree of self-sufficiency increase,“ says Johannes Steuer. „This allows me to make good use of the storage volume.“

Full self-sufficiency in summer

The entire system is designed so that on sunny days the solar plant can supply all consumers in the biogas plant. It then generates so much energy that the storage unit is fully charged between 1 and 2 pm. After that, the solar power that is not consumed directly on site is fed into the grid. „I can then get through the night with the fully charged battery,“ the farmer explains. „But the storage unit is almost empty when the sun rises the next morning – except for a residue that always has to be left over for the emergency power supply.“

Italy: 1.5 gigawatts of agri-PV will receive funding

On cloudy days, however, the yield of the solar system is not enough to cover the entire consumption of the biogas plant and charge the storage unit at the same time. Then the battery is only half full in the evening. At such times, the energy has to come from outside the grid.

You can read the full story in our special about self-consumption of own solar electricity on farms. The spacial is ready for download free of charge here. (su)

Source link

Solar Energy

1.5 gigawatts of agri-PV will receive funding

January 28, 2025 ryansheehanrts

The Italian electricity regulator Gestore dei Servizi Energetici (GSE) has published the results of the latest tender for the support of agri-PV systems. Rome is funding the construction of a total of 540 projects of this type with a total capacity of 1,548 megawatts.

Bids with 1.7 gigawatts registered

Agri-PV is the only option in Italy for constructing solar plants on agricultural land. All other forms of solar parks on such land are not permitted. However, to support the growth of photovoltaics, the Italian government issued a decree in December 2023 to support agri-PV systems. Part of the funding is granted in the form of an investment subsidy. A second part of the funds will be awarded in the form of market premiums (contract for difference). A total of 643 projects with a total output of 1.7 gigawatts took part in the tender for these subsidies. As many as four out of five proposals were approved by the GSE.

Don’t miss any important information about the solar energy transition in agriculture! Simply subscribe to our free newsletter.

EU money used

The tender took place as part of the Italian government’s National Recovery and Resilience Plan (Piano Nazionale di Ripresa e Resilienza – PNRR). Rome is using this plan to distribute the financial resources that Italy has received from the EU from the Next Generation EU economic stimulus package. After all, there is almost 200 billion euros in this funding pot.

Agri-PV project with 48 megawatts of power to be built in Sardinia

Farmers show great interest in solar energy

This is intended to finance digitalisation, innovation, the energy transition, the development of infrastructure for sustainable mobility, education and research, cohesion and inclusion as well as healthcare. „It is a very encouraging result that confirms the optimal definition of the measure provided for in the PNRR, but above all confirms the immense interest of agricultural businesses in solutions that enable high-quality food production with parallel renewable energy solutions,“ emphasises Gilberto Pichetto Fratin, Minister for the Environment and Energy Security, with regard to the many applications for the promotion of agri-PV systems.

Farmers have to be involved

Finally, a prerequisite for participation in the tender was that the project is not only implemented by EPC companies. Rather, at least one agricultural business must be directly involved in the project. A portion of the tendered capacity is also reserved for smaller plants with a maximum power of one megawatt, which are financed by the farms themselves. In addition, the systems may not significantly impair agricultural production. For this reason, support is primarily granted for systems that are either vertically mounted or whose modules are moved using a tracker.

How to activate agricultural areas to produce solar electricity

Agri-PV from 200 kilowatts to over 200 megawatts

There is a correspondingly wide range in the size of the systems that receive support. For example, a farmer in Sicily will install an agri-PV system with an output of 199 kilowatts. However, an agri-PV power plant with an output of 213.7 megawatts will also be built in Sicily under the leadership of the project planner Sun Project. (su)

Source link

Solar Energy

Agri-PV: Still several hurdles to overcome

January 27, 2025 ryansheehanrts

Since this year, for the first time, agri-PV systems in Germany have also been subsidized through innovation tenders for so-called special solar systems under the Renewable Energy Sources Act (EEG). Twelve Agri-Photovoltaic projects with a capacity of 22 megawatts were awarded a contract and thus a market premium in the tender round in May 2022. In the new EEG 2023, the promotion of agri-PV through tenders will now be continued or permanently established.

In principle, this is welcomed by the industry as an important step. However, there is also criticism. BayWa r.e., for example, decided against the participation of Agri-PV plants in the innovation tenders “due to the complex legal conditions”, as Fabian Neu, Project Developer Germany, reports. He points out that Agri-PV plants are more capital-intensive than ground-mounted solar plants due to their special requirements as well as more complex technology.

Especially high-mounted systems have difficulties

The inclusion of Agri-PV in the new EEG leads to a significant increase of the area potential in Germany, which is positive. However, Neu says that it will be rather difficult in the near future for the highly elevated plants (for example, in fruit and wine growing) due to the material price increases, even with the additional premium for horizontal plants within the framework of commercial projects.

The bonus for agri-PV under the tenders is clearly set too low here, he adds. “With the new EEG 2023, we see the focus in the near future for larger solar projects primarily on ground-mounted Agri-PV systems for arable crops and permanent grassland,” Neu says.

Building law as a strong brakeman

Antonia Kallina of the Kehl Institute for Applied Research (KIAF) points to the hurdles for Agri-PV under building law. KIAF is currently involved in three research projects on Agri-PV and is working closely with Fraunhofer ISE in Freiburg.

Did you miss that? Research project to accelerate the market introduction of agri-PV

In any case, the lawyer does not see the innovation tenders as a “gamechanger” for Agri-PV. “Up to now, Agri-PV plants have had to comply with the requirements of the EEG as part of the innovation tenders, specifically the subsidy law requirements of Section 37 of the EEG, which refer to the requirements of building planning law. These restrictions will likely mean that there will be no sustained push through the innovation tenders,” says Kallina.

Loan financing of projects also more difficult

Credit financing of Agri-PV projects is also made more difficult by the lack of privileges for Agri-PV plants in outdoor areas under the Building Code (BauGB), he said. This leads to the fact that mostly only temporary approvals for Agri-PV plants are granted.

This means that there is a lack of planning security for both the banks and the project developers. The only exception is if the local municipality has drawn up a project-related development plan for the construction of the Agri-PV plant. However, this is time-consuming and cost-intensive, according to Kallina.

Therefore now the voices increase, which demand a legal privileging of solar plants in the external area. Recently, for example, the district administrator of Lüchow-Dannenberg (Lower Saxony), Dagmar Schulz (non-party), pleaded for this in order to bring forward planned projects more quickly.

Selected suppliers Agri-PV

BayWaRe

BayWa r.e. offers the option of purchasing individual components for Agri-PV systems, such as semi-transparent special modules, through the company’s solar wholesale business. The planning and technical conceptual design as well as the construction of the Agri-PV system are then carried out by the farmer via a local installer. BayWa r.e. offers an “all-round carefree package” from the approval planning for the area and the grid connection to the construction planning to the construction of the Agri-PV system and the subsequent operational management as project developer or operator. However, in addition to the possible lease income for the farmer, there is an opportunity for investment participation. For the development of an Agri-PV plant within the framework of a project company, suitable areas of 10 hectares or more are being sought.

Zimmermann PV-Steel Group

The Zimmermann PV-Steel Group (Baden-Württemberg) develops, produces and sells substructures for larger Agri-PV systems with modules in horizontal elevation in various designs. Areas of application are fruit, berry, vegetable and arable farming.

A tracker system is also offered that places the solar modules in a vertical position for harvesting and tillage in order to use the maximum working width between the rows. In normal operation, the system tracks from east to west, thus also yielding up to 20% more energy than fixed systems.

Next2Sun

The Saarland-based company Next2Sun offers vertically mounted agri-PV systems with bifacial solar modules as a complete system – with trackers if desired – including inverters. Application areas are mainly permanent grassland and arable farming, whereby the Agri-PV systems can also be used as solar fences for property demarcation. The portfolio ranges from land leases for Agri-PV systems and their turnkey implementation to the sale of components and technical services for project developers and the installers of systems.

Other suppliers include AgroSolar Europe, Tube Solar, REM Tech, SunAgri, MKG Göbel. (hcn)

Also interesting; Viennese researchers have compiled facts about agriphotovoltaics

Source link

Solar Energy

Baywa r.e.’s first agri-PV plant in Spain is financed via a PPA with VELUX

January 22, 2025 ryansheehanrts

Baywa r.e.’s first Agri-PV plant in Spain has a capacity of 54 MW and takes biodiversity into account for the environment. The project is financed through a PPA with the VELUX Group. With the Alhendín project, VELUX has achieved its goal of 100 per cent green electricity. The system consists of three different PV technologies: fixed-mounted solar modules, tracking solar modules and agri-PV, and has more than 85,000 solar modules that produce 96.8 GWh of electricity per year. This covers the electricity consumption of around 24,700 households.

Biodiversity and involvement of local farmers

Around ten per cent of the solar park is designed so that agricultural machinery can drive between the solar modules. The agricultural land is left as it is or used for hay production so that no chemicals are required for the entire service life of the agri-PV system.

Also see: Edisun Power builds solar power plant to supply data centres in Spain

The harvest is then harvested in spring, with the agricultural work being carried out by local farmers. ‘The solar park includes a comprehensive package of social and environmental measures to improve local biodiversity and promote community engagement,’ says Rafael Esteban, Managing Director of Baywa r.e. in Spain.

A refuge for wild animals

A number of environmental and biodiversity measures are planned at Alhendín. The team has already installed a vegetation screen or perimeter planting around the solar park, which will act as a haven for wildlife and improve landscape integration. In October and November, the agricultural part of the site was planted with forage plants such as grassland, wild species and flowers. These promote the integration of the solar park into the natural environment and support the development of pollinating insects.

Also see: Lightsource BP sells solar park in Portugal to Exus Renewables

Baywa r.e. has also installed a breeding infrastructure in one of the two nesting towers built for the native lesser kestrel in order to promote the establishment of the species in the area. Other measures include the collection of rainwater and the installation of wildlife reserves, drinking water tanks, ponds, nesting boxes and perches.

Pupils will be informed about the project

Camera traps will be used to monitor land mammals, while line transects will be carried out to monitor rabbit populations. To ensure that the native birds in the region can be observed and thrive, listening points are set up and passive recorders are installed.

In addition, there are measures to involve local people, including information talks with local communities. Several school trips are also planned for spring 2025. Experts from the solar park will also inform pupils from the local schools in Alhendín and La Malahá about the project. (nhp)

Source link

Solar Energy

How to combine agri-PV with wind power and storage?

January 20, 2025 ryansheehanrts

The Austrian developer and operator of green energy plants Püspök, based in Nickelsdorf in Burgenland, has launched a photovoltaic offensive. This includes a solar park, which the company has now put into operation in Nickelsdorf. The 13-hectare agri-PV plant not only combines agriculture with solar power production. The plant is also combined with the existing Heidäcker Mönchhof wind farm.

Storage unit to follow next year

Püspök has thus built its first hybrid power plant, combining wind power and photovoltaics. The advantage: wind power and photovoltaics complement perfectly each other in the generating structure. They can feed into the grid via one grid connection point and thus better utilise the grid capacities. To perfect this further, Püspök will be adding an electricity storage system to the hybrid power plant in the coming year. The permit for the large battery storage unit has already been granted.

Don’t miss any important information about the solar energy transition in agruculture! Simply subscribe to our free newsletter.

Sheep graze the area

The recently installed 23,000 solar modules have a total output of 14 megawatts. The agricultural utilisation is based on grazing the area with sheep. ‘The combination of wind power, photovoltaics and battery storage technologies makes the Nickelsdorf project a pioneering energy transition project in Austria,’ emphasises Managing Director Lukas Püspök. ‘The simultaneous use of the land for organic farming shows that renewable energy, nature conservation and agriculture harmonise.’

Energy Decentral: Agri-PV has great growth potential

Next plant is already under construction

The new agri-PV park is the kick-off for the photovoltaic offensive that Püspök is launching. It provides for the construction of further solar parks. The company plans to install an additional 400 megawatts of solar power capacity by 2026, as Lukas Püspök explains. The next plant is already under construction. The Nickelsdorf II solar park is currently being built on an area of 53 hectares and will reach 68 megawatts upon completion. Commissioning of this plant is planned for this year.

EWS: Financing of agri-PV project by citizens completed within two weeks

You can read about how the systems are actually planned and what opportunities and hurdles the combination of photovoltaics, wind power and agriculture entails in our special edition on agriculture. You can download this special issue on the solar energy transition in agriculture free of charge after registering. (su)

Source link

Solar Energy

Farmer relies on solar-electric heat supply

January 10, 2025 ryansheehanrts

In a 100-year-old farmhouse in the district of Nienburg/Weser in the German state of Lower Saxony, a farmer has made himself largely independent of the electricity grid with photovoltaics and a solar-electric water heating system. This is because he uses the surplus from the photovoltaic installation on the roof to feed it into a hot water tank.

Wood chips heat the rooms

The actual heat supply for the house has been provided by a wood chip heating system for seven years. This is designed to operate in the winter months, when it provides enough energy to heat the spacious rooms of the 340 square metre farmhouse and also supplies hot water.

Special for free download: Solar power for farmers and by farmers

But for the warmer months, when the room heating is switched off, this system is far too big. To solve this problem, the farmer first installed a photovoltaic system with an output of 9.7 kilowatts. This system primarily covered the electricity consumption in the building.

Surpluses despite storage

By expanding the photovoltaic output to 14.2 kilowatts, a huge surplus of solar electricity remains after all the electrical consumers in the house have been supplied. Even with a ten-kilowatt battery storage system, the farmer is not able to consume all of the sun’s energy on site. To avoid having to feed it into the grid, he uses it to heat water.

Don’t miss any important information about the solar energy transition in agruculture! Simply subscribe to our free newsletter.

Heating rod covers hot water consumption

An AC Elwa-E heating rod with a power consumption of three kilowatts was installed in the hot water tank in the basement of the house. This device provides the entire hot water supply for the building from the beginning of May to the end of October, when the room heating is switched off. It uses only surplus solar power from the roof.

Support in winter

Between November and April, the wood chip heating system runs anyway to provide the room heating. During this time, the AC Elwa-E supports the hot water heating as best it can with the reduced supply of solar power. „If surplus electricity is also available in the less sunny months, this is used to support the heating system,“ explains farmer Erich Hormann. „The wood chip heating system is switched on to provide hot water when the desired temperature has not been reached by the photovoltaic power and the intelligent heating element from My PV after 4 pm. The AC Elwa-E works perfectly, regardless of whether it’s summer or winter,“ reports the farmer.

A package for an almost fully solar-powered house

65 per cent of hot water supplied by solar electricity

In the first year of operation, he was able to provide 40 cubic metres of the approximately 60 cubic metres of hot water used in the building from solar power and heating rod. This amounts to 65 per cent of the hot water requirement covered by the AC Elwa-E. As the heating rod is only used as a backup in winter, the farmer was also able to avoid having to use grid electricity to heat the water. (su)

Source link

Solar Energy

Financing of agri-PV project by citizens completed within two weeks

January 7, 2025 ryansheehanrts

It took just 13 days for all investment options for the agri-PV park in Pischelsdorf am Engelbach in Upper Austria to be finalised. EWS Cosulting had given all citizens the opportunity to participate in part of the plant with a capacity of 4.58 megawatts via a crowdinvest. Citizens were able to finance a total of 2.2 megawatts of capacity. The minimum investment was 100 euros. The investment runs for five years and earns a very generous 4.3 per cent interest.

Developing projects together with the communes

For Gerhard Steindl, CEO of EWS, such financing options are a matter of course. „We develop our Sonnenfeld projects holistically – together with municipalities, agriculture and research,“ he explains. „Sustainable planning and fair co-operation are the best way to achieve domestic renewable energy production, which makes us independent of expensive fossil fuel imports and strengthens our business location at the same time.“

Don’t miss any important information about the solar energy transition in agruculture! Simply subscribe to our free newsletter.

Locals have made substantial investments

This is why EWS is particularly keen to offer financial participation. „Citizens can actively participate in the energy transition and benefit from it,“ says Gerhard Steindl, explaining the approach of involving local residents in particular. They took advantage of the opportunity. At 36 per cent, an extremely high proportion of the participations were subscribed by the citizens of Pischelsdorf. „We are very pleased that the opportunity for citizens to participate in our agri-PV plant has been so well received, especially from the local population,“ emphasises Gerhard Steindl. „The high proportion of residents also reflects the local recognition and appreciation of the project.“

PV from field and barn: Our new special for the dual harvest on farms is now online

Only two per cent area for photovoltaics

The plant in Pischelsdorf is not just about generating electricity. This is only an add-on to the continued use of the area as farmland and grassland. This means that 80 per cent of the land can continue to be used for agricultural purposes after the solar plant has been installed. A further 18 per cent are biodiversity strips, and only two per cent are actually used for the mounting structure.

Bruck energy park brings in first harvest from under solar modules

Completion planned for this year

The agri-PV project is expected to be completed and connected to the grid in spring 2025. According to the planners’ calculations, the generator will then supply around six million kilowatt hours of clean solar power – in addition to food. (su)

Source link

1 2 3