Agri-Solar Farmers’ Day in Rathenow

After the welcome by Peter Schrum, Founder and Shareholder of the SUNfarming Group, a tour followed with Mr. Schrum and Michael Bleiker, the plant manager in Rathenow, to present the research facilities with first exciting insights. After a snack, which included self-harvested raspberries, various presentations followed.

Arndt Lahmann, Junior Project Consultant Agri-Solar at SUNfarming, started the series of lectures with the presentation of the SUNfarming Group and the developed agri-solar concepts on grassland, agricultural and set-aside areas as well as for the moor solar concept for the coupling of the expansion of renewable energies and climate protection/CO2 reduction through the rewetting of agriculturally used, drained moor soils. Interesting details were presented on the preservation of the agricultural status of soils through agri-solar systems in accordance with DIN SPEC Standard 91434 "Agri-Photovoltaics" and the latest amendment to the German Building Code.

Torsten Holler, Managing Director of Agricultural Service-, Trading and Consulting Company, then went into the possible combinations of an agri-solar system with the guidelines of the renewed Common Agricultural Policy 2023 (CAP). The focus was on the standards of the good agricultural and ecological condition of the land (GAEC). Among these, the combination of the set-aside obligation according to GAEC 8 with agri-photovoltaics was particularly addressed, which, according to the PV strategy of the BMWK, is to be made possible in the subsequent solar package in May 2023. The EEG amendment was also discussed.

Following the series of lectures, there was a lively exchange between the speakers and the very interested guests, with many exciting questions being discussed.