27
Oct

Laying of the foundation stone in Madagascar for 5 MW SUNfarming Food & Energy Training Center

On 19. October, the President of Madagascar solemnly laid the foundation for the first food and energy training center in Madagascar. In Antsirabe and at three other locations, over a total area of 40 ha, 20 MWp Food & Energy training centers will supply the island with apprenticeship places and green electricity.
In the first construction phase, 5 MW will be realized.

More than 250 guests from politics, business and universities participated in the solemn laying of the foundation stone in Antsirabe on 19. October 2019.

The ceremony was opened with the speech of the Minister of Higher Education, Professor Blanche Nirina Richard and Minister of Energy Mr. Vonjy Andriamanga. The President of Madagascar, His Excellency Mr Andry Rajoelina, emphasized in his speech the great importance of the Food & Energy project for Madagascar, both to support the region in power generation and to educate people in the innovative areas of Food & Energy.

Madagascar is one of the poorest countries in the world. The country's economy is largely based on agriculture, mining, fishing and textile production. The average Madagascan earns only about US $ 1 per day and 70% of the Malagasy live below the World poverty line. Almost half of Madagascar's children under five are malnourished. According to the WHO and UNICEF, access to clean drinking water is less than one in two islanders. About one third of the population are illiterate. Among other things food and oil are imported.

The first SUNfarming 5 MW Food & Energy Training Center on Madagascar offers highly interesting perspectives for development policy

5 megawatt Food & Energy Training Center on 10 ha means per year:
• 1,000 training places in organic farming and solar technology
• up to 500 tons of organic vegetables
• chicken breeding and egg production
• 9.0 million kWh of clean energy
• 7,500,000 kg CO2 savings

40 hectares of SUNfarming Food & Energy Trainigsanlagen are used 50% for the cultivation of vegetables.
For the power supply of the Institute of Antsirabe, SUNfarming will install a 10 kWp battery-powered island system.
For the first time, the classrooms used for lectures receive light and electricity.

The Food & Energy Training Center has great potential to train students and those interested in the following areas:

· Photovoltaics and self-sufficient energy technologies;
· Production of organic vegetables;
· Chicken farming and egg production
· Agricultural practices and technologies;
· Food processing and packaging;
· Food Marketing and Market Management;
· Aquaponics (Water and Hydroculture)
· Practical experience and competence development.

"We see the cooperation with the university as a development center for other universities and partners. We've signed a contract with the University of Madagascar and the Ministry of Education, "explains Peter Schrum, principal shareholder and founder of SUNfarming.
"SUNfarming will help train up to 20,000 students and apprentices in organic food and solar technology over the next 10 years.
"The benefits for citizens and communities are endless! This project offers a strong training component, sustainable food and energy production and job security for those who need it most," adds Peter Schrum.

16
Oct

SUNfarming Hybrid Training Center Bahamas rightly bears the title hurricane resistant!

We are relieved that our employees and partners in the Bahamas are all well. Now our team was able to send us first pictures of the situation on site: our SUNfarming Hybrid Training Center survived the hurricane "Dorian" without damage!


"Dorian" - one of the strongest ever recorded tropical storms in the Atlantic Ocean - caused storm surges with five and a half to seven meter high waves. The storm raged over the Bahamas for three days. Wind gusts reached speeds of up to 350 km / h. According to the Red Cross, about 13,000 houses were destroyed.

Every year, the Caribbean and the Indian Ocean are hit by severe tropical storms. It is therefore essential for sustainable management that our training facilities withstand these catastrophes.

In the Bahamas, our hurricane resistant SUNfarming SP Food & Energy substructures and glass / glass solar panels with special fixings have proven this in an impressive way. The photos of our employees clearly show that the greenhouse design details of the Food & Energy training facility developed by SUNfarming rightly bears the title hurricane-resistant.


SUNfarming Hybrid Training Center in the Bahamas

The Hybrid Training Center will demonstrate the conditions for developing an economic model that will contribute to the independence of the Caribbean countries in relation to fossil fuels, the environment and the environment in a model facility dedicated to the topics of SF Food & Energy and fuel efficiency management at bioltec Improving the quality of life of their inhabitants.
Some benefits for society and the environment in numbers:

10,000 kWh of solar energy
10-15 kg of tomatoes per plant
Up to 90% water savings
50 employees
40,000 kWh of electricity CHP
16,000 liters of UCO converted into biofuel
80,000 kWh of thermal energy CHP
40 t of CO2 savings
95% greenhouse gas savings compared to fossil diesel
Typically 50% less toxic exhaust gases (with similar NOx)
Training in hydroponics, PV technology, electromobility and water saving in agriculture
Local and independent domestic food and energy production

The Caribbean region is highly dependent on imported fossil fuels to generate energy, resulting in higher CO2 emissions and electricity prices of up to 0.40 USD / kWh. These prices prevent growth in many economies in the region and lead to high business costs.
Another important issue in the Caribbean is food security, where up to 80% of the food consumed has been imported.
SUNfarming Agro-Solar greenhouses or as modified free-field plants and biofuels made of 100% waste oil (UCO) are combined to form a hybrid system. The same land area is used for the production of food, electricity and heat energy. Jobs will be created in agriculture and in renewable energies. At the same time it serves as a training center for students and interested locals for e.g. electromobility, photovoltaics and combined heat and power generation and form the technological basis for capacity building, research and technology transfer.
Emissions, energy and food costs are reduced, and future generations will be informed about the benefits of the hybrid system.

11
Oct

1000 new employees in service and maintenance ;-)

Where we once had to mow with great effort, today 1,000 woolly service workers keep the surfaces between the solar plants short.

Since 2016, we have flocks of sheep for grazing our solar systems in Mecklenburg Vorpommern in use.
Prerequisite for the functionality of the solar modules is the prevention of shading by the plant growth. The regular care of the vegetation by sheep grazing prevents shading of the modules. In contrast to mechanical mowing, there is no dust or damage caused by falling rocks. Checking the shepherd at irregular times also reduces the risk of theft.
SUNfarming has had good experiences with this environmentally friendly and gentle care of the areas. SUNfarming has created 1000 hectares of PV solar plants over the past 15 years and these areas must all be mown.

"For me, the consistently short surface is better for the service, because otherwise was always mowed when the grass was already knee high and a come through was rather exhausting. I am often approached by residents or walkers, who always tell me that they like the sheep very well, explains Marco Ströde, SUNfarming technician for service and maintenance.

The shepherd also benefits from this secure pasture, which has already been fitted with a wire mesh fence.
The modules are a good shade dispenser and windscreen and the substructures provide shelter for lambing sheep. The areas are unloaded as no fertilizers and pesticides are used.

Conservation welcomes the dual use of land, the extensive grazing has positive effects on biodiversity, the practice of the pasture pasture sheep serve other animal and plant species as a means of transport and increase biodiversity.

1
Oct

SF Food & Energy for Syrian Refugees

Near the Syrian border in Turkey, another SUNfarming Food & Energy training project is launched this month. The aim of this Food & Energy project in Osmaniye is to provide people with training with a future perspective.

On 2 ha of solar park, additional solar nets and barriers will be installed under the solar tables, allowing the keeping of free-range chickens. Trainings and jobs will be created for Syrian refugees in the fields of solar technology, electromobility and organic egg production. The training program consists of practical and theoretical lessons. The theory lesson takes place in a purpose-built training center. Directly connected to this complex is a shop which is also operated by trainees. Here, the agricultural products according to eu standard produced products , are sold directly and impart practical and theoretical business knowledge to trainees.

This project was made possible as a large PPP (Private Partnership Project) through the support of the BMZ (Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development), run by Deutsche Energie-Agentur (dena) – the German Energy Agency.

"Education and jobs are being created, food supplies and sustainable energy production are contributing to a responsible, safe way of life and giving people here a future perspective for a later return to their homeland, explains Peter Schrum SUNfarming founder and main shareholder.
"We would like to thank DEG for making the" Blue Print " for bigger investments in Syria possible with this large Food & Energy training facility, continues Peter Schrum.

For this project, special substructures and brackets were developed by our subsidiary SOLprime, which makes it possible to raise the solar tables up to 4 m. Working under the tables is thus easily and effectively possible. To protect the chickens, additional nets were installed between the solar tables. Special laying devices according to the EU Organic Regulation, designed by SUNfarming in cooperation with German laying hens specialists and transported in individual parts to Osmaniye, were already assembled in first training sessions by Syrian trainees.