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The Global Summit on Market Innovation and Development, hosted by CHINT, China's leading smart energy solution provider, held in Wenzhou from 9-11 September, focused on "Global Energy, Smart Interconnection". The event aimed to explore the challenges and opportunities facing the energy sector while providing a platform for the demonstration of new and innovative products.

The event attracted scholars from academic institutions, industry experts and leading players from over 140 countries, as well as CHINT's business partners across the globe. Participants gathered to discuss and share expertise on industry trends and critical issues. Highlighted discussions include the keynote speeches on CHINT's innovative milestones in the Industry 4.0 era, energy storage & solar, smart grid, smart meter as well as low voltage fields.

"Africa is a key partner in the fight against climate change, with the aim of enabling Africa to deal with the consequences of climate change, but it is also about a new partnership for sustainable energy supply." In the project YESPV-NIGBEN, German know-how is being developed helping to improve the food supply in West Africa, we are using research and innovation to support sustainable business models and perspectives for the people in their home countries of Nigeria and Benin, "said Research Minister Thomas Rachel.

With the three-year project YESPV-NIGBEN ("Earnings analysis and socio-economic impact assessment of photovoltaic-assisted food production and drying in the tropical climate of Nigeria-Benin"), researchers from Nigeria, Benin and Germany are contributing to solving this problem To reduce land use conflicts between agriculture and energy production, combined "photovoltaic greenhouses" are developed for the cultivation of fruits and vegetables. The photovoltaic system adapted to local conditions allows power to be generated for the greenhouse and the local utility grid. Greenhouses are the basis for a predictable, continuous production of food. At the same time, drying systems are operated with solar energy, and ventilation and management systems are developed. The goal: to make local crops more effective than before. Thus, surpluses can be processed in large quantities.

"We were in Nigeria and Abuja in August at the Kick Off Meeting“, explains Holger Schönherr, SUNfarming project partner. "Every fifth inhabitant of Africa is starving. Heavy rainfall periods alternate with extreme drought. In Nigeria and Benin enough food can be produced, but the distribution and preservation represent two of the major problems. Thus 60% of the crops rot at harvest time. At SUNfarming, we are convinced that we can contribute to food safety through sustainable energy and drying processes with Food & Energy plants, "Holger Schönherr continues.

When handing over the funding certificates: (from left) Prof. Uwe Rau, Director of the Institute of Photovoltaics, Dr. med. Solomon Agbo, Corporate Development, Board Member Prof. Harald Bolt, Mobolaji Sakirat Ogundero, Deputy Nigerian Ambassador to Berlin, Secretary of State Thomas Rachel MdB, Peter Schrum, SUNfarming, and Prof. Ulrich Schurr, Director of the Institute of Plant Sciences
Copyright: Forschungszentrum Jülich / Ralf-Uwe Limbach

SUNfarming successfully completed seven new projects in the auction system. The latest projects are located in the provinces of Lower Silesia, Greater Poland, Lodz and Lublin. These are three 1-megawatt solar parks erected in the Lask district of Lódz, as well as four 1-megawatt investments in the provinces of Dolnoslaskie and Lubelskie. In line with the auction commitments, all seven solar parks started producing energy in June.

"We are happy about another 7 megawatts of clean energy for Poland. We thank all involved for the efficient and professional cooperation. With a planned PV capacity of 1.2 GW by 2020 with currently only about 360 MW of installed capacity, Poland represents an important future market for us, "said Martin Tauschke, Managing Director of SUNfarming GmbH and SUNfarming Polska sp.zoo.. "Further,we were able to secure 35 megawatt solar parks during the auction process in November; the planned investments are to be completed by the end of 2019 / beginning of 2020. However, we do not want to rely only on the Polish auction process, but also rely on PPA's (Power Purchase Agreements) for the development of larger projects, "explains Martin Tauschke.

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.

Extinction of pollinator insects threatens to produce $ 235-577 billion a year worldwide, according to the Biodiversity Council. Of 8 million insects, 1 million are threatened with extinction.
In March we started our pilot project "SUNfarming Wild Herbs Meadows - for more biodiversity ". First, the right seed mixture had to be found: it should be perennial and contain many medicinal herbs, bees and insects should find food and shelter throughout the summer, the meadow should be colorful so that also pleases our eyes.
"Skeptically we looked at the small amount of seed ordered: 1 kg for one hectare of arable land! We milled, sown and rolled - and then waited, "says Ursula Eckmann, SUNfarming Marketing.

"It followed a long dry April, on our field was still nothing to see. At the end of May we could see the first tender green and long-awaited rain brought us the sight of a dense herb carpet. The carpet is now more than knee high at the beginning of July and in the photo you can see how colorful it blooms. Bees, beetles, bumblebees, caterpillars and butterflies frolic on the flowers and leaves, with a stature height of about 60 cm, the meadow is an ideal hiding place for animals, "Ursula Eckmann continues.

Many plants are known as medical herbs and can be used to make teas, ointments and tinctures. Marigolds have a disinfectant, anti-inflammatory and wound healing, shepherd's purse contains a lot of vitamin C and a lot of minerals, yarrow was already known in the Middle Ages as a special gypsophila and ribwort helps with itchy mosquito bites. Many of the seeded herbs have a positive effect on the entire cardiovascular system. Rosemary improves blood circulation, oregano soothes and borage counteracts nervous irritation. Frequent use in the kitchen is well worth it.
With a stature height of 60 cm there is no impairment of the performance of the solar modules by shading.
Our solar parks not only generate renewable energy but, at the same time, provide added value for nature through the dual use of the areas. Bloom strips between the rows of modules promote the biodiversity of plants and animals. Herbal mixtures, herbal salads, smoothies or Sunny Wild Honey are produced regionally and sustainably.

SUNfarming Conclusion: Diversity is healthy!

With more than 182 participating countries and over 2,000 projects submitted each year, the Energy Globe Award is currently the world's most prestigious environmental award. It recognizes projects at the regional, national and global level that conserve resources such as energy or use renewable or emission-free sources. Award ceremonies take place all over the world. Celebrities and Energy Globe Ambassadors in 90 countries support Energy Globe's mission. Energy Globe's activities attract media attention worldwide - international television stations report about 1,000 hours of air time each year. The aim of the Energy Globe is to draw worldwide attention to sustainable, universally applicable environmental solutions and to motivate people to become active in this area as well.

"We are proud of our project and the performance of our team and are pleased that the uniqueness of our project has been rewarded with the Energy Globe Award.The Hybrid Center Bahamas is intended as a test facility for hurricane resistant special solar panels and substructures a blue print for other larger facilities in areas where there is no network access", explains Peter Schrum, SUNfarming founder and principal shareholder.

SUNfarming also qualified for this year's Energy Globe World Award by winning the Energy Globe National Award.

Together with bioltec Systems GmbH, SUNfarming has developed a training and demonstration center for the Bahamas for renewable energies, energy efficiency and sustainable mobility - the Bahamas Hybrid Center. Partners include 700 Island Energy and Windsor High School. The Bahamas Hybrid Center is installed at Windsor High School in Albany, Nassau.

SUNfarming wins Energy Globe Award Bahamas

The Caribbean region is highly dependent on imported fossil fuels and food.
The Windsor High School imports all of their food for the student’s cafeteria from outside the country. More than 80% of the Nation of the Bahamas does the same due to a systemic failure in agricultural development and incentives. The Windsor school is provided energy from the national power grid which receives electricity generated from large diesel engines consuming blends of fuel oil and diesel fuel.

The goal of the Hybrid Center Bahamas is to instruct and demonstrate on the topics of SUNfarming Food & Energy, electromobility and bioltec’s fuel efficiency management (renewable fuels) in an alliance with 700 Islands Energy to create the conditions for the development of an economic model that will contribute to the independence of the Caribbean countries in terms of fossil fuels as well as food and water security.

Since the installation of the SUNfarming and bioltec system, a portion the food and energy consumed by Windsor Schools is not produced renewably and sustainably. In addition the basics of photovoltaics and agriculture along with the specific of operating the hybrid center are now included in the science curriculum of the school. So students and faculty are able to operate the hybrid center and instruct others on the value of such systems.

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.

Read more about SUNfarming Hybrid Center

At the end of April, Peter Schrum, the main shareholder of the SUNfarming Group, and Holger Schönherr, SUNfarming project manager, were invited to the Energy Ministry in Albania to introduce SUNfarming Food & Energy concepts.
During this trip, SUNfarming Albania was founded, which will combine its business activities in Albania with local cooperation partners.
Minister Balluku was very interested and expressed her support for the realization of Food & Energy in Albania

Find out more about SUNfarming Food & Energy