Trade + industry

The funds received are intended for additional project development and pre-financing exclusively for German solar projects.

Martin Tauschke, CEO of SUNfarming GmbH: “We are very happy about the trust that investors have in us. Especially in view of the current capital market environment, we are extremely satisfied with the fact that we were able to already successfully place around 75% of the total volume. This result speaks very clearly for our company, our strategy and the undisputed growth market of renewable energies. "
Despite the ongoing effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, SUNfarming expects 2020 to be a successful year with around 50 MWp of completed projects in Germany and abroad.
For the first half of 2021, the project pipeline already comprises more than 30 MW.

More information can be found here (in German)

(Photo, from left to right: Karsten Balzer, SUNfarming authorized signatory, Martin Tauschke, CEO of SUNfarming GmbH)

These are open-space systems on landfills, roof-top systems and the first large agro-solar system (Food & Energy), through which sustainable solar energy for direct use of electricity in a neighoring biomethane plant and regional food can be produced together - on the same area. The order volume for the completed solar systems is approx. 10 million euros. As a result of the successful commissioning, the capacity installed by SUNfarming for the Schrum-Tauschke Group in Germany has increased to a total of 176 MWp. Around 700,000 built-in SUNfarming quality modules currently ensure annual green electricity production of around 176 million kilowatt hours, with which around 44,000 households (4,000 kWh p.a. per household) can be supplied in the energy equivalent. At the same time, with the current electricity mix the solar systems put into operation by SUNfarming in the above-mentioned period lead to annual CO2 savings of around 5,000 tons.

Martin Tauschke, Managing Director of SUNfarming GmbH: “With the solar systems we have implemented, our customers are focusing on sustainability and together we are making a valuable contribution to the energy transition and a regional, decentralized energy supply. Last but not least, the past challenging months, in which renewable energies have proven themselves in the current crisis, show that this is the right way to go, and also - with the increase in climate targets - have even now and more intensely moved into the positive focus of politics.

Our PV open space systems offer many plants and animals urgently needed living space that has been lost due to intensively used agricultural areas. Our perennial wild herb meadows make an important contribution to promoting biodiversity.According to the Biodiversity Council, the extinction of pollinator insects threatens global food production with a value of 235 to 577 billion dollars per year. Out of 8 million insects, 1 million are threatened with extinction.

Extensive permanent green areas are created under the modules of our PV open-air systems, offering habitats for many animal and plant species that have already disappeared from intensively used agricultural areas. More insects mean more breeding birds. Here you can find food and e.g. Also sitting on the module rows and security fences. We do not fertilize or use any pesticides and there is also no machine tillage, factors that can negatively influence the fertility of the soil and the water balance. At the same time, the wild herb meadows promote humus formation, and the humus in turn binds carbon dioxide (CO2).

We work together with shepherds who like to use the fenced PV systems for their sheep. This summer there are 1200 sheep that keep the vegetation between the module rows short. The security fence offers protection from wolves. The module rows also offer weather protection in the rain or provide shade in summer.

“We are delighted that despite the restrictions associated with the corona pandemic, we are contributing to clean energy supplies in Poland with two additional megawatt PV systems. Despite the difficult communication, the professional and intensive cooperation of everyone involved made this possible", explains Martin Tauschke, Managing Director of SUNfarming GmbH and SUNfarming Polska sp.z.o.o..
The Polish auctioning system of procurement and an internal policy based on renewable energies allow SUNfarming as a medium-sized company to support the expansion of renewable energies and to make profitable investments in Poland. SUNfarming started the construction of the first 4 megawatt solar parks in Poland at the end of December 2018. By winning the tender, all PV parks benefit from a 15-year "contract for differences" with the Polish Energy Agency URE, which guarantees a fixed feed-in tariff for each kWh produced by paying the difference to the market price.
Photovoltaics is becoming increasingly important among renewable energy sources in Poland as it is the cheapest energy that can be obtained with existing technologies. In addition, the use of fallow land and soils with low soil quality spares agricultural arable land.

The lockdown in the corona pandemic has shown that regenerative energies are more crisis-proof than coal and oil. The worldwide expansion of renewable energies is still in positive territory and the International Energy Agency expects growth of 5%. Electricity consumption fell, but the feed-in of renewable energies into the power grid is up to 80%.

“Due to the falling electricity consumption during the crisis, many classic power plants were not started up. It is not worth it because the operating costs are too high. Renewables are more stable and crisis-resistant and, thanks to their decentralization, have a further crisis advantage over large power plants. I'm thinking of attacks on the critical infrastructure here, decentralized systems are much less in focus here, ”explains Martin Tauschke SUNfarming Managing Director and co-founder.
"In addition, power plants need employees to operate and if they cannot work, e.g. if the minimum distance cannot be maintained, the plants stand still. Regardless of this, PV systems continue to feed in“, Martin Tauschke continues.

As part of the G20 initiative Compact with Africa (CwA), for the second time Chancellor Angela Merkel invited the twelve heads of state and government of the African Compact partner countries as well as South Africa to Berlin as G20 partner of the initiative for November 19, 2019.

On this occasion, the Africa Association of German Business, together with the Sub-Saharan Africa Initiative of German Business (SAFRI), organizes the "G20 Investment Summit 2019 - German Business and the CwA Countries" in Berlin. The investor conference is under the patronage of Chancellor Dr. Ing. Angela Merkel. The Chancellor will take part in the conference together with her guests and open it up solemnly.

The conference is aimed at high-ranking representatives of German companies and their partners from the African CwA partner countries. The focus is on lighthouse projects of German companies and economic reform projects in the CwA countries.

The event will feature companies with Africa commitments - and those with investment projects in CwA countries (Egypt, Ethiopia, Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, Guinea, Morocco, Rwanda, Senegal, Togo, Tunisia), but also with projects in other countries - the opportunity to position oneself in a high-level political environment with strong media support and to make current activities visible.

"We are pleased to be presenting our Food & Energy Training Project for Togo to such an important audience at the G20 Summit. After nearly 20 years of project experience in Africa, we can say that only in a politically stable country with the help of reliable local partners such as Prince Lorenzo of Togo, European technologies, PPP partnerships with industry and long-term and reliable project management are safe investments guaranteed, "explains Peter Schrum, founder and main shareholder of the SUNfarming Group.

"With the help of KfW / DEG and GIZ, Food & Energy has been further developed over the last 12 years as PP partnership projects, so that it is economically scalable and can now be reliably implemented in Togo at 60ha with 30 MWp of energy output. The project can provide training and a job for up to 30,000 people within just 10 years", continues Peter Schrum.