The Bahamas Hybrid Center offers renewable electricity and renewable mobility combined with food production, all coupled to a one-site training program – a very unique concept.
The German companies SUNfarming GmbH and bioltec systems GmbH , in cooperation with the Bahamian company 700 Islands Energy, have set up a hybrid center for renewable energies at the Windsor High School in Albany, Nassau.This project is part of the worldwide dena Renewable Energy Solutions Programme coordinated by the Deutsche Energie-Agentur (dena) – the German Energy Agency – and supported by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi) within the German Energy Solutions Initiative.

More than 40 political, business and university guests attended the opening ceremony on the campus of Windsor High School.
After the opening speech by Peter Schrum, company founder and main shareholder of SUNfarming, guests had the opportunity to visit the center, accompanied by knowledgeable experts who gladly answered all questions.

In this Hybrid Center, a greenhouse with roof integrated photovoltaic panels, electricity is generated from sunlight, while vegetables, fruits, flowers or medicinal herbs are grown indoors with high yield. The integration of renewable energy into a combined heat and power plant generates electricity and hot water at the same time. A smart grid management system makes the power together with a battery storage as a 24/7 stand-alone solution and / or grid-connected. Electric and fuel vehicles clearly demonstrate renewable mobility.
At the same time, SUNfarming and bioltec are striving to promote climate and resource protection, to shorten regional value chains, to provide energy, to create jobs and ultimately to increase the quality of life sustainably. The competencies of both companies have been integrated into the design. Demonstration, training, application and technology transfer of proven leading-edge technologies are the keywords for this “Bahamian – German Hybrid Center”. In addition, it provides the foundation for future collaborative research and development, including business models for commercial applications. The partners bring together different systems integration technologies, whether for off grid or grid-connected applications that are adaptable to local conditions and customer needs.

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Technical and agriculture teaching staff of the correctional services from all over South Africa attended the course.
„The participants were very satisfied with the course and some even stated that it was one of the best courses they attended and the wish there was more of these types of training. They feel now they will be able to make a big difference when going back to home/work,“ says Faure van Schalkwyk, Energy Research Engineer & Trainer.

Xoli Phillips recommends SUNfarming Food & Energy:

“Food & Energy is an excellent opportunity our youth must grap with both hands. It is the best training I have ever attended. Training was so exciting and prepared us for the future. Thanks to all the facilitators who made the training so easy to understand. So professional and well versed with the course. It is much appreciated…keep up the excellent work.”

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Ostrołęka is located at the intersection of national roads from the center and from the south of Poland in the north-east direction. The city has a direct road connection with Warsaw, Olsztyn and Bialystok, from which it is about 120 km away. Ostrołęka is a municipality with 53,000 inhabitants.

The coal burning of the power plants in Ostrołęka has resulted in landfills for ash and slag. 4 megawatt SUNfarming free-field plants are currently being built on these former landfills, which have been fallow for 35 years. The use of landfill sites for the production of green electricity is at the same time a meaningful and sustainable reuse, valuable areas of arable land are spared. The facilities in Ostrołęka were fenced for protection. SUNfarming, with lease agreements limited to 29 years, also takes over the long-term care and safeguarding of landfills. Up to 40 fitters and technicians work at the same time on the construction site, planned completion date is 03 December 2018. These 4×1 MW are projects that have been awarded in the first auction round and must be on the net by 31.12.2018.

With the produced energy amount of 4 million kWh, SUNfarming saves CO2 emissions of approximately 2.20 million kilograms per year, which corresponds to the output of approx. 930 mid-range cars.The amount of energy produced in this way is enough to supply more than 1,600 2-person households in the region with clean electricity from solar energy.

“We are pleased to have set the starting signal for our commitment in Poland with the installation of this 4 MW. More than 1.5 years of market and project development are behind us, so we are all the more pleased about the start of the realization. For 2019, we now have a further 6 MW of project rights in the portfolio, with more to follow, “explains Martin Tauschke, Managing Director of SUNfarming GmbH and SUNfarming Polska sp.z.o.o.

The aim of the 12th international trade fair Canagua & Energía, promoted by the Cabildo of Gran Canaria (the Island Government), aims to transform the Canary Islands into a reference point for renewable energy on an international scale, new opportunities for companies, new models production, efficiency and desalination.

The forward-looking project SUNfarming Food & Energy has met with great interest in business and politics.
Having successfully run Food & Energy projects in South Africa, we are particularly pleased that we had the opportunity to present our project to Project Seiko Douka, Energy and Mines Commissioner ECOWAS, El Hadji Ada NDAO Director of Senegal National Water Company, Mme Columba NDIAYE Ministerium Energy Planification & Estudes and Mor Fama KOBAR DIRECTOR Soloum Energy.

“Our participation in the fair was very successful. We have made many interesting new national and international contacts in the energy sector, as well as intensified existing contacts with associations and state organizations”, explains Holger Schönherr, SUNfarming Partner.

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