Eco- and Agri-Solar

SUNfarming Group's Managing Director Martin Tauschke and Project Developer Heiner Kamper presented the project. The SUNfarming Group combines agriculture and solar power production in this innovative project to promote efficient use of agricultural land and increase energy generation from renewable sources.
The presentation of SUNfarming's agricultural concept generated great interest among the politicians. The project enables the keeping of mother cows, sheep, and chickens, as well as the cultivation of various vegetables, fruits, and medicinal herbs under the solar modules. SUNfarming will conduct intensive research projects in cooperation with the Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research (ZALF) e.V. from Müncheberg to determine the optimal uses for Agri-Solar systems.

Dr. Dietmar Woidke emphasized the importance of Agri-Solar projects for preserving agricultural land and increasing societal acceptance for such innovations.

The government particularly supports the dual use of land for agricultural production combined with solar energy generation. Agri-Solar simultaneously secures food and energy supply for the population.

The event was aimed at 90 Master's students from the private university and their professors and teaching staff to familiarise them with the mission of SUNfarming Agri-Solar and to generate international project ideas and export orders.
This guest lecture informed the students about the potential of agrivoltaics in Germany and also looked at the modern solutions that SUNfarming offers in this area.The presentation provided a comprehensive overview of our company, and the numerous questions from students and professors were answered with pleasure.

The great interest shown by the students led to a lively discussion. We not only presented the current status of agrivoltaics, but also provided insights into the concepts we have developed and our experiences from research projects. In addition, we discussed opportunities for internships and student traineeships were discussed and suggestions for scientific collaborative projects.
SUNfarming plans to extend these successful guest lectures to other universities to attract even more students and institutions to the exciting world of agrivoltaics.

Many thanks to Professor Romero and Mr Chougule for the excellent organisation of the event. We appreciate the opportunity to work with SRH Berlin and look forward to future projects.

Protecting special crops such as fruit and wine from excessive sunlight, rain, hail, frost and bird damage while generating renewable energy and attractive rental income - find out more at our stand and visit our specially developed Agri-PV systems in Estebrügge.

Arrange a personal consultation appointment at our stand now:
landwirtschaft@sunfarming.de, phone +49 3362 8859200

The North German Fruit Growing Days are a renowned platform for the exchange of expertise and innovations in fruit growing.
The exhibition area covers 7,000 square metres of outdoor space and 6,000 square metres of tent space.

https://norddeutsche-obstbautage.de/

Under the moderation of Simon Schoon, Project Manager of the Grassland Centre Lower Saxony/Bremen e.V., SUNfarming Managing Director Edith Brasche presented the SUNfarming Agri and Moor PV concepts and solutions for the sustainable agricultural use of grassland and moorland. Helmut Wahl, energy technology consultant at the Lower Saxony Chamber of Agriculture, provided information on the legal and tax framework for agri-PV compared to traditional ground-mounted PV systems. Questions relating to the realisation and approval of corresponding agri-PV and moorland PV solutions were discussed during the open discussion round. During the subsequent visit to Hof Hanken in Elsfleth, farmer Dirk Hanken reported on how well the SUNfarming moorland PV pilot system had been received by his cattle on the moorland grazing area. It is particularly noticeable that the sward under the modules is completely covered with grass.

Lena Weber and Dr Dina Hamidi from the University of Göttingen presented initial scientific findings from animal husbandry under agri-PV on peatland. In the concluding survey, many of the interested visitors stated that they would like to develop specific agri-PV or peatland PV projects on their land and enquired about lease payments and participation models for specific projects from SUNfarming Managing Director Edith Brasche and Project Manager Lower Saxony Thomas Reimers.

All interested parties are also cordially invited to SUNfarming's research and development centre in Rathenow near Berlin, Am Heidefeld 13, where the company will be presenting all types of agri- and peatland PV with crop cultivation and animal husbandry in detail. For appointment enquiries, please contact e.brasche(at)sunfarming.de.

The politicians were impressed by the fact that SUNfarming Agri-Solar systems, with a maximum height of just 3.6 metres, can be used for agricultural purposes with small tractors, which can be replaced by AI Agri Robotic in the future and blend in well with the landscape. They also praised the patented SUNfarming rainwater distribution system for extensive irrigation under the modules.

In addition to the tour of the plant, the following topics were addressed at the meeting:

- Solar open spaces are currently still 100% the responsibility of the Minister of Energy/Environment. Farmers and SUNfarming are calling for the Ministry of Agriculture to be given a say in authorisations for agri-solar systems.
- Another demand is that agri-solar must be eligible for authorisation in landscape conservation areas, as is already the case in other federal states, due to the agricultural production that is possible here.
- In view of the fact that set-asides (CAP 4-10% fallow land) can also be combined with agri-solar in the future, this will also lead to landscape conservation areas and sites with better soils being opened up for agri-PV in Saxony-Anhalt.
- In the opinion of SUNfarming, it is incomprehensible why land utilisation plans are still necessary for agricultural agri-solar systems. As agri-solar is still an agricultural use, it should not be treated as a purely open-space system, explains Peter Schrum, SUNfarming founder.

Village power concepts and school gardens:

To further increase acceptance significantly, SUNfarming already has regional village electricity concepts where the community receives cheaper electricity. The village electricity concept was also very well received. Just like the SUNfarming school garden, which is made available to the community in municipalities with agri-solar areas of 50 ha or more for joint use to grow vegetables, fruit or for poultry farming, for schools and kindergartens to teach healthy eating.

Under GAEC 8 (Healthy Agricultural Ecological Status), a set-aside area may only be grazed or mown in September. For this agricultural policy SUNfarming combines flowering meadows with agriphotovoltaics.
Over 40 different wildflower seeds are contained in the special mixture. Among them are various types of clover, meadow bluebell, viper's bugloss, corn poppy, true parsnip and meadow sage. The wildflower component in the SUNfarming mix is REWISA certified (Regional Wild Plant Seeds). Various grasses in the mixture increase forage quality and grazing suitability. They improve soil structure, suppress weeds and provide adaptation to dry or wet soil.

For biodiversity areas with natural species diversity, Agri-Photovoltaic plants are suitable, which are approx. 2.1m at the lowest edge. In general, sown wild herbs should reproduce themselves by seed. Cutting or mulching should therefore only take place after the seeds have set or not at all.

Due to the shading and the resulting cooler climate, evaporation under the panels is considerably reduced. Even between the rows of panels, the shadows cast by the module table counteract drying out. Under the panels, flowering plants develop more in the second year of standing and can flower for a very long time. The rainwater distribution technique has a positive effect; in this area, plants thrive better on light soil.

"From my point of view, it is worthwhile under Agri-PV systems to use a very versatile mix that can adapt to the environment (different shading, different soil, different climate depending on the location even within the system). Not only single grasses/flowering plants should be used. Drought-tolerant plants can be used as well as moisture-loving ones," explains Michael Bleiker, SUNfarming project manager at the Rathenow Research and Innovation Centre.

The wildflower mix produced for SUNfarming can now also be purchased under the trade name SUNfarming B1 from „Samen Schwarzenberger“.