International projects

SUNfarming Africa’s project has been implemented as part of the National Scheme for Emerging/Innovative Renewable Energy Technologies (NSEIRET) by the MARENA, Mauritius Renewable Energy Authority.
The goal is to build an agrivoltaic “Food & Energy Research and Training Centre” with an allocated capacity of 200 kWp over an area of 4500 m2 at Gros Cailloux.

An agrivoltaic project, which SUNfarming calls “Food & Energy”, combines high quality photovoltaic electricity generation and food production facilities (bio-horticulture and vegetable production by drip irrigation).

SUNfarming has designed special Food & Energy systems, made in Germany, that enable the cultivation of plants underneath solar panels, which will be installed at Gros Cailloux. This unique plant will be used as a research and training platform in cooperation with local partners in the field of modern agriculture and solar renewable energy.

SUNfarming has installed the agrivoltaic pilot plant of 200 kWp that is currently being commissioned with the CEB. Grid connection is expected to be done by the end of July 2023.

The dual use of land for the purpose of keeping cattle and other animals in a manner appropriate to animal welfare, as well as the protection of biodiversity and fallow land against adverse weather conditions and drying out, and the protection of special crops such as fruit and wine against excessive solar radiation, hail, frost, etc. are currently important topics for the expansion of renewable energies on agricultural land.

Traditionally, many international project developers and land owners contact SUNfarming at the Intersolar to find out about the holistic solutions with the substructures developed in-house, the rainwater distribution and the bifacial glass-glass modules. The newly developed SUNfarming floating solar system, which was presented in model form in Munich, also interested many visitors.

"Agri-photovoltaics as we have developed it at SUNfarming over many years and made it ready for series production is so far unique on the market," explains Peter Schrum, main shareholder and founder of SUNfarming. "We have light and water management under the modules and thus ensure that vegetation thrives ideally protected from climate change and thus significantly more CO2 remains stored in the soil," says Peter Schrum.

For visitors to our stand: You are hereby cordially invited to contact Ms Janine Breitenfeld to make an appointment: j.breitenfeld(at)sunfarming.de

SUNfarming, based in Erkner near Berlin, is a family-run, medium-sized company in the solar energy sector which is a leader in the development, construction and operation of photovoltaic systems and also invests in the production of renewable energies and green hydrogen for climate protection and energy security. In addition to rooftop PV plants, open space plants on landfills and conversion areas as well as floating PV plants, SUNfarming's special focus is the development, construction and operation of agricultural and moorland photovoltaic plants in Germany and internationally. With innovative dual-use concepts especially for agriculture as well as horticulture and viticulture, SUNfarming is sustainably

For visitors to our stand: You are hereby cordially invited to contact Ms Anja Kirchner to make an appointment: +49 (0)3362 8859 166, a.kirchner@sunfarming.de

SUNfarming, based in Erkner near Berlin, is a family-run, medium-sized company in the solar energy sector which is a leader in the development, construction and operation of photovoltaic systems and also invests in the production of renewable energies and green hydrogen for climate protection and energy security. In addition to rooftop PV plants, open space plants on landfills and conversion areas as well as floating PV plants, SUNfarming's special focus is the development, construction and operation of agricultural and moorland photovoltaic plants in Germany and internationally. With innovative dual-use concepts especially for agriculture as well as horticulture and viticulture, SUNfarming is sustainably advancing the energy turnaround. SUNfarming develops innovative PV solutions with its own engineers, has already realised more than 650 MW of installed capacity and has more than 230 MW of plant capacity in its own portfolio. SUNfarming has already received numerous awards for its Food, Energy & Training concepts in various developing countries.

During the basic course, a vegetable garden of 75 sqm was established by the trainees. The trainees prepare the seedbeds for planting. To promote growth and keep the soil healthy, the trainees are trained to make their own compost. Another successful garden has been established, the following vegetables have been grown: spinach, cabbage, tomatoes, green beans, carrots.
At the end of the training, each trainee receives their AgriSeta approved certificate and basic starter kit. The trainer explains all the contents of the toolkit consisting of SUNfarming Vitality Booster Porridge, seeds, bucket, coconut fibre block, basic disease spray, seed trays, fork.

This training benefits 20 adults and 13 children through training in vegetable cultivation and healthy eating. The food produced is used to provide for the families' own needs, and any surplus produced can be sold at regional markets.

The entrepreneur course in vegetable cultivation was successfully completed by 13 women and 3 men..
A vegetable garden of 468 square metres was planted. 56 adults and 42 children benefited from this.

The theoretical learning plan included the following main points:
- Recognising capital needs and understanding the need to record income and various costs in a farming business.
- Application of marketing principles in agriculture.
- Basic knowledge of soil fertility and crop nutrition.
- Operation and maintenance of specific irrigation systems.
- Control pests, diseases and weeds on crops effectively and responsibly.

At the same time, the trainees of the advanced courses are taught the basics of solar energy and its benefits by highly qualified trainers from our subsidiary SUNCybernetic.
The courses in vegetable gardening and healthy nutrition conducted by SUNfarming are controlled by the competent South African Qualification Authority (SAQA). The certificates awarded at graduation represent a nationally recognised qualification that facilitates entry into the labour market.

The SUNfarming Vitality Porridge Project:

The Vitality Porridge Project provides immediate help against hunger and at the same time sustainable help-for-self via certified training courses in vegetable cultivation and healthy nutrition for the local population. Labour is needed for production in the food industry. Accredited Agri-SETA trainers in organic vegetable production, provided by SUNfarming South Africa, take over the training of these workers. In this way, additional new jobs are created locally. Our trainees are much better equipped to find work in agriculture after completing our training.

The theoretical and practical training includes everything from soil preparation to sowing, irrigation and pest control that is necessary for a successful harvest. The gardens established by the first group are expanded and maintained by subsequent groups. In the course of the growing season, subsequent groups can learn pest control and pruning in a practical way. All trainees receive a file with the training material. On the last day of the course, each trainee receives the nationally recognised SAQA (South African Qualification Authority) training certificate of successful participation at a small handover ceremony.
So far, more than 20 schools with over 10,000 students and at least 60,000 family members are participating in the project. 300 unemployed people are trained in the training programme. For the 60 best), the project offers further training on farm land provided by SUNfarming in Potchefstroom. As licensed SUNfarming franchisers, a large number of them will help to supply supermarkets with organic vegetables and herbs.

As an emergency aid, Vitality Porridge will be distributed to school children as a daily vitamin and nutrient rich supplement to their school lunch during the project period. In addition, the children receive a 5 kg bag to take home to their families. As there are often not enough plates in the schools, Vitality Porridge can also be distributed and drunk more diluted as a milkshake. The children love it even more this way, because it tastes like a vanilla shake, they say.
The course participants can also take home a 5kg bag of Vitality Porridge.

The school programmes supported by KfW/DEG aim to tackle malnutrition, one of the biggest development problems in African countries, at its root. Children are empowered directly at school and teachers are trained to pass on the knowledge they have gained about the essential importance of healthy food to the children. Through training and education directly in the production facilities and in cooperation with the church communities, jobs and sustainable future prospects are also created for the people in Africa.

"The medicinal herbs for the Vitality Porridge are already grown, dried and packaged as multiple crops (intercropping), together with various vegetables, by trainees in our Food & Energy Training Centres. The extruders provided on the Food & Energy facilities for the production of Vitality Porridge have been technically enlarged to produce up to 200,000 food portions per day," Peter Schrum, SUNfarming founder, tells us.
"We would like to expressly thank all project partners without whose support we would not have been able to realise the emergency food aid and training programmes in the Vitality Porridge project," Peter Schrum continues.

SUNfarming Vitality Porridge Project in South Africa is a PPP project and is funded by KfW/DEG. The project is supported in its organisation by develoPPP, Skills for All, german cooperation, F.E.E.D. (Food-Energy-Education-Development e.V.).

Multi-award-winning SUNfarming Training Centre

Over 3,500 trainings have taken place at the SF Solar Training Center and SF Food & Energy Training Center since 2013 for participants from all over Africa. With the help of KfW/DEG, SUNfarming/Alensys successfully realised the Solar Training Centre at North-West University in Potchefstroom, South Africa, back in 2013, as part of a PPP Public Private Partnership Programme. In 2015, the solar training centre was expanded by 15 agro-solar greenhouses to become the SF Food & Energy Training Centre. The training centres, which are constantly being expanded even after the funding has expired, are in full operation and, in addition to solar power for the campus, also supply fresh vegetables to the North West University campus and a grocery shop in Potchefstroom (Pick & Pay).

You can find all information at www.feed-ev.de or contact our Edith Brasche, Vice President FEED e.V.

A first tranche of EUR 12 million will be used to refinance a portfolio of 50 solar plants with 48 MWp. The funds will flow via a subordinated loan to the group company SUNfarming Polska IPP GmbH & Co. KG ("SUN IPP"), which bundles SUNfarming's Polish projects currently in under one roof and was established specifically for the partnership. Capcora acted as exclusive financial advisor to SUNfarming in the transaction. Financial close took place at the end of December 2022.

The mezzanine financing was issued in euros and has a term of 20 years. As the projects will be remunerated in Polish zloty, an adequate currency hedge was the focus of the structuring. Together with specialists, a robust solution was devised that enabled the asset manager HANSAINVEST Real Assets to finance the transaction with a low-risk premium despite the currency mismatch in the cash flow profile.

SUNfarming, the owner-managed company based in Erkner near Berlin, will use the financial resources for the development of further solar parks. Besides its home market Germany, Poland is the largest market for SUNfarming. The company is also one of the pioneers in the Polish market, which in 2022 set a new installation record of around five gigawatts and was the largest photovoltaic market in Europe behind Germany and Spain.

"We are pleased to be making our debut in the Polish renewable energy market with an existing partner who has also been active in the Polish market for years and already has a significant track record. We are convinced that Poland offers tremendous growth opportunities for us. The contract for difference system also provides inflation protection on the electricity revenues, which gives our investment further security," said Christoph Lüken, Head of Portfolio Management Infrastructure at HANSAINVEST Real Assets.

"We are expanding our successful partnership with HANSAINVEST Real Assets. Poland is our second main market, and we are grateful for the trust in our work, which is underlined by the extension of the partnership. 2022 has shown the potential that lies dormant in in Poland, and we are happy to take our partners with us on this journey," said Martin Tauschke, Managing Director of SUNfarming Group and SUN IPP.

"The transaction represents one of a small number of mezzanine financings in the still young but growing solar market. Euro financings present challenges to the industry due to a lack of cross currency swap liquidity in the long term. We are pleased to have been able to contribute to this complex transaction, having already assisted SUNfarming in structuring the interim construction financing and bank refinancing," explains Bernhard Hofmann, Director in Capcora's Energy and Infrastructure division.

HANSAINVEST Real Assets was supported in this transaction by Dentons, Baker Tilly and renerco plan consult. On the side of SUNfarming Group, Bird&Bird and Rödl&Partner acted as legal advisors and Capcora as exclusively mandated financial advisor.