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The 25 students from the fields of horticulture and industrial engineering were accompanied by Prof. Thomas Rath and test engineer Olaf Melzer. The focus of the visit was on the question of how horticultural production can be realized under agrivoltaics (APV) - with a view to cultivation practice, yield potential and system efficiency. The excursion served as an introduction to the complex interactions between crop cultivation and photovoltaic systems.

The tour was led by SUNfarming founder Peter Schrum and the technical support team. During a tour of the two-hectare research facility, SUNfarming presented various agri-PV systems and the crops grown under them. In addition to technical production issues, business aspects such as investment models, funding conditions and land efficiency were also discussed.The students actively participated with specific questions - both on technical details and practical cultivation issues. They were particularly interested in the suitability of various crops for cultivation under partially shaded conditions and the requirements for irrigation techniques.

The feedback from Osnabrück University of Applied Sciences was consistently positive. The content and practical insights provided offer numerous starting points for future theses and joint research projects. Both the accompanying professors and the students showed great interest in more in-depth collaboration.

New Chapter: SUNfarming Joins Cube Green Energy Group
Since early 2025, SUNfarming, the market leader in Germany in the development of Agri-PV projects, has been part of the Cube Green Energy Group, a leading developer in the European renewable energy landscape with a successful history in the development and operation of Onshore Wind farms and BESS. Together, we are able to deliver renewable energy projects across all technologies with a single vision - to provide 24/7 renewable energy solutions that power communities and businesses around the clock, without relying on fossil fuels.
“Becoming part of the Cube Green Energy Group marks a strategic milestone for SUNfarming. It enables us to drive the energy transition with a cross-sector approach and further enhance our capabilities to execute on our extensive Agri-PV pipeline. We continue to see tremendous potential in Agri-PV to intelligently combine sustainable farming with renewable energy production.” – Martin Tauschke, Managing Director, SUNfarming GmbH

More Innovative. More Sustainable. More Integrated.
SUNfarming is also evolving – with a sharper focus on Agri-PV solutions that enable dual-use of land to generate green electricity whilst preserving local farming and protecting the food supply chain.

Agri-PV empowers farmers to harvest both energy and crops from the same land, diversifying their revenue streams while supporting local agricultural businesses.

At Intersolar, we are showcasing how Agri-PV is powering the Energy Transition whilst addressing the challenges of land scarcity and innovating local farming practices:
• Agri-PV systems for animal husbandry: Innovative installations designed to support animal welfare while generating clean energy.
• Protection for specialty crops: PV systems that shield orchards, vineyards, and vegetable cultivation from extreme weather – climate resilience in action.
• Hybrid concepts with battery storage: Modular and efficient solutions that enhance energy independence and farm profitability.

Strong Interest from the Agricultural Sector
The first day of the exhibition was a resounding success:
We’ve had insightful and high-level conversations with experts across the solar and wind sectors. Especially promising is the growing interest from farmers, who recognise the immense potential of Agri-PV to maximise their revenue stream whilst preserving – and even improving! - food production.

Join us at Intersolar Europe until May 9 in Hall A4, Booth 130 – we look forward to connecting with you!

SUNfarming präsentiert seine langjährig entwickelten Agri-PV-Konzepte für Tierhaltung und Sonderkulturen auf der Intersolar 2025, der weltweit führenden Fachmesse für die Solarwirtschaft. Besuchen Sie uns in Halle A4, Stand 130 und erfahren Sie mehr über unsere neuesten Projekte und Agri-PV-Konzepte.
SUNfarming will be presenting its Agri-PV concepts for animal husbandry and special crops, which have been developed over many years, at Intersolar 2025, the world's leading trade fair for the solar industry. Visit us in hall A4, booth 130 and learn more about our latest projects and Agri-PV concepts.

For visitors to our stand: You are hereby cordially invited to contact Ms. Janine Breitenfeld and make an appointment:
j.breitenfeld(at)sunfarming.de

In addition to rooftop PV, ground-mounted systems on landfills and conversion areas as well as floating PV systems, SUNfarming's particular focus is on the development, construction and operation of agrivoltaic systems for animal husbandry and as well as for fruit and vegetable cultivation in Germany and internationally. With innovative dual use concepts specifically for agriculture, horticulture and viticulture, SUNfarming is driving forward the energy transition in a sustainable way. SUNfarming develops innovative PV solutions with its own engineers, has already realized more than 650 MW of installed capacity and has a short-term pipeline of 4 GWp with approx. 0.8 GWp in the late development phase.

With a total of 25,000 photovoltaic modules, this innovative plant will not only contribute to the regional energy transition, but also serve as another example of the sustainable reuse of former landfill sites.
The PV system will generate green electricity in the Eberswalde region and thus make an important contribution to supplying regional companies. In addition, the plant will save around 5,000 tons of CO2 annually and thus have a positive impact on climate protection.
Thies Schrum, Member of the Management Board of SUNfarming, emphasizes: "We are pleased that, together with our long-standing partners, we are also implementing special systems on buildings in addition to our main focus on agri-solar systems in order to sustainably shape the energy transition through the multiple use of land.
With this project, SUNfarming is continuing on its path of creating sustainable solutions for energy supply and leaving a positive ecological footprint.

The event provided a valuable platform for presenting the initial results of feasibility studies and discussing innovative technological applications of renewable energies. A highlight of the conference was the contribution by Edith Seemann, Managing Director of SUNfarming Projektentwicklung, who provided an important impetus with her presentation on the topic of ‘Agri-PV-Renewable Energies 4.0-Electricity-Agriculture-Storage-Green Hydrogen’. Her in-depth knowledge and practical experience inspired the participants and provided valuable perspectives for the realisation of innovative projects in the field of renewable energies.

The participation and input of experts were of great importance for the success of the event and the further development of the project. The exchange on the various challenges and solutions in the integration of renewable energies in practice was enormously enriched by such contributions.

All documents relating to the conference can be viewed on the Renewable Energy Innovation Park website. The project team hopes to continue to involve valuable partners and experts such as Edith Seemann in the next steps of the innovation park and to continuously promote dialogue on the energy transition.

SUNfarming Agri-Solar animal welfare systems.

Peter Schrum from Schleswig-Holstein and Martin Tauschke from Brandenburg founded the solar company SUNfarming in Erkner near Berlin in 2004. With their own system developers, steel constructors and engineers, SUNfarming developed foundation systems, substructures and solar module qualities, which are co-labelled for SUNfarming and, as glass-glass modules, are characterised above all are also characterised by the highest hail and hurricane resistance. In the first few years, the main focus was on roof photovoltaic plants, conversion areas and landfill sites with PV systems were realised in Germany, the agricultural economist Peter Schrum, in view of the damage caused by climate change in Africa and the upcoming waves of refugees travelling to Europe about a food & energy plant in Africa. These are now known as Agri-PV systems. In 2012, SUNfarming built the first plant on the African on the African continent. Since then it has been supporting training in organic farming and provides people with food security and renewable energy. Fruit, vegetables and fruit, vegetables and medicinal herbs.

Since then, SUNfarming has been researching and optimising the use of agri-PV systems with crop cultivation and animal husbandry and is the only provider in the agri PV market has developed a rainwater management system under the system, which prevents soil erosion avoids soil erosion and promotes vegetation by distributing rainwater over a wide area. The first solar package in 2021 made it possible to introduce the Agri-PV concepts, which have now been tried and tested for more than ten years, to the German market. Various types of fruit and vegetables are planted under the modules, protected from the weather; Suckler cows, cattle, sheep, chickens, ducks, geese and fallow deer find shelter from the rain and sun. The SUNfarming flowering meadows for more biodiversity are home to many native insect species.

For farmers and investors, the latest legislation offers opportunities in the field of agri-solar. One Agri-PVA can be installed per farm or farmstead. Privileged according to §35 BauGB, para. 1, no. 9 and DIN SPEC 91434 for animal welfare and organic cultivation of fruit and vegetables. The agricultural use for commercial purposes under the facility must be proven. ‘In addition to the generation of renewable energy and climate protection, we want to use our concept, we want to ensure that the land on which electricity is generated can continue to be used for agricultural purposes,’ explains Peter Schrum. ‘Farmers should keep one hundred per cent of their farmland and not lose it to the large energy producers, who are squeezing them out with high lease payments for ground-mounted systems.’

In addition aspects of nature conservation must be taken into account, areas must not be sealed and broad public acceptance must be achieved. ‘SUNfarming Agri-PVA are designed for a service life of at least 30 years and are fixed horizontally at a minimum height of 2.10 metres. With a south-facing orientation of 15 degrees, we achieve between 1.1 and 1.3 MW per hectare of agricultural land in Germany, depending on the location,’ explains Martin Tauschke, co-founder of SUNfarming. ‘Land under our systems retains its agricultural status and therefore remains an agricultural asset for property tax and inheritance tax purposes unchanged in agricultural assets.’

The largest SUNfarming Agri-PVAs will be will be built from autumn 2024 in the eastern German federal states, where agricultural land is large and land values are often low, and others in western and southern German regions. The SUNfarming management is optimistic about the future thanks to the new features of Solar Package I and the increase in the maximum bid value for Agri-PVA in accordance with DIN SPEC to 9.5 ct/kWh. ‘On agricultural land, there can be no other solution than an Agri-PV system in accordance with DIN SPEC if the land is to be preserved sustainably for agriculture and regional value creation,’ says Edith Seemann, Managing Director Project Development. SUNfarming sees further potential for Agri-PV systems in Germany
for more than 800,000 hectares of agricultural land, i.e. almost five per cent of agricultural land in Germany.

For SUNfarming, the 20th anniversary marks a milestone in the development towards the combined utilisation of agrivoltaic systems with battery storage, biogas plants for municipal heat heat supply and energy storage, as well as Agri-PV-wind energy combinations for the production of green hydrogen.

Ursula Eckmann
The graduate engineer is project manager at SUNfarming

About SUNfarming
SUNfarming is now developing a plant volume of more than 5 GW of Agri-PV plants in
agri-PV systems in Germany and employs over 150 people nationwide. In 2021 and 2022, the company was further strengthened by the new managing directors Thies Schrum and Edith Seemann. SUNfarming has received several internationally for its holistic, sustainable solar concepts (food, energy, training).

In 2023, Peter Schrum was honoured for his services to international sustainability projects for food security, support for people in developing countries and his Food & Energy concept with the Federal Cross of Merit. At the company's own research and development centre in Rathenow near Berlin, SUNfarming presents the latest solutions and concepts for Agri-PV with animal husbandry and crop production as well as biodiversity PV and peatland PV to several thousand visitors and interested citizens/farmers/municipal decision-makers every year.
https://sunfarming.de/geschaeftsbereich/agri-und-oeko-solaranlagen