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Advancing economic and climate policy interests at the same time was the goal of Economics Minister Habeck and Agriculture Minister Özdemir in South America. The first stop on the six-day trip was Brazil.
Economics Minister Robert Habeck and Agriculture Minister Cem Özdemir travelled to South America for six days - according to the Economics Ministry, primarily to intensify economic relations and climate cooperation with Brazil and Colombia.
Habeck announced his intention to build "green value chains for more prosperity and climate protection". The free trade agreement between the EU and the South American Mercosur states is also to be discussed.
The governments of Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Colombian President Gustavo Petro "are committed to tackling the climate crisis and illegal deforestation and are consistently advancing decarbonisation", Habeck said. "We want to use this momentum to face the global challenges together as democracies and jointly build green value chains across the Atlantic for greater prosperity and climate protection."
"Brazil and Colombia, with their renewable energy potentials and significant raw material deposits, play a key role in global climate protection and the transformation of our economies towards green, sustainable models," Habeck further announced.

After a year of development and pilot phase for SUNfarming's first self-developed floating PV system, which is now being realised, the total of 143 pontoons of the 750 kWp solar system are currently being installed on the gravel lake of Kieswerke Laprell KaphofGmbH & Co KG. Beforehand, concrete foundations for the anchoring of the floating PV system had already been brought to the bottom of the lake at a depth of about 10 metres. A total of 1,716 bifacial glass-glass modules, 4 inverters and 1 transformer will supply the gravel plant with its own electricity and thus contribute significantly to the customer's energy cost reduction and CO2 neutrality. A total of 16 assemblers and 2 site managers will set up the system on site in about 10 weeks, and the grid connection is scheduled to take place in April.
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Several thousand farmers from Germany, but also from countries such as Poland, Hungary, Switzerland, Austria, Canada and the USA - came to the SUNfarming stand to find out about Agri-PV solutions for both animals and special crops. More than 1,000 hectares of potential Agri-Solar areas were included in the early SUNfarming planning in Germany.

For more than 10 years, SUNfarming has been developing Agri-PV solutions with glass-glass modules and rainwater distribution system under the modules with its own engineers and has been researching them for many years in different developing countries of the world under extreme climatic conditions as well as with different types of plants. Due to the climate changes as well as the energy crisis in Germany, farmers from all over Germany and neighbouring countries were very interested in the SUNfarming solutions. They were particularly enthusiastic about the well thought-out solution for keeping animals on pastures protected by Agri-PV all year round.

Due to the rainwater separation and the semi-transparent modules, which allow approx. 15 % light to pass through, plant growth is ensured under the modules, CO2 remains in the soil due to the areal moisture distribution. The agricultural status of the land is maintained with SUNfarming Agri-PV. As a partner of the farmer, SUNfarming places particular emphasis on the agricultural concept, which is developed together with the farmer and his agricultural advisor. SUNfarming Agri-PV is ideally suited for areas with low soil points as well as arable land for special crops (fruit/vegetables) and for animal welfare-oriented livestock farming, as well as for moorland that is to be re-wetted.

As a contribution to the energy turnaround and energy supply with green photovoltaic electricity, SUNfarming is realising a photovoltaic plant on the 9-hectare site of the Ohmbach household waste landfill, which has been closed since 1 February 2022. With a module area of over 2.3 hectares, this is the largest open-space photovoltaic plant within the boundaries of the city of Pirmasens.
Andreas Flörchinger, Head of SUNfarming Project Development: "I am very pleased to be able to implement this project in my former home region of Palatinate, together with Ralf Gebhard, Head of SUNfarming South-West. The PV plant, which has been under construction since October 2022, offers an opportunity to create an additional use with added value for the environment and society on an ecologically damaged landfill site. The photovoltaic plant on the landfill site is scheduled for completion by March 2023. We at SUNfarming would like to express our gratitude for the very good cooperation with the city of Pirmasens."

Some facts about the plant:
- 2,470 t CO2 savings per year due to the photovoltaic plant Landfill Ohmbachtal, Pirmasens.
- 823 cars can offset their CO2 emissions with 20,000 km/year of driving or
- 2000 households can be supplied with 2,500 kWh/year of CO2-neutral PV electricity.
- Grid feed-in: approx. 5,083,440 kWh/year

Further ecological added value for biodiversity
- Flowering strips
- Honey production
- Cooperation with local beekeepers
- Food for insects
- Sheep grazing in cooperation with local shepherds

This year in Hanover, SUNfarming will be presenting its Agri-PV systems that have been developed over many years and are used internationally as animal welfare systems and Agri-PV weather protection systems for fruit, vegetables and wine growing. Visit us in Hall 25, Stand K15 and learn more about our latest Agri-PV projects and our Food & Energy commitment worldwide.

For visitors to our stand:
You are hereby cordially invited to contact Ms. Anja Kirchner to arrange a personal consultation appointment: +49 (0)3362 8859 166, a.kirchner(at)sunfarming.de

These are our topics:
- SUNfarming Agri-PV systems as animal welfare and weather protection systems with double added value for yield security and energy transition:
SUNfarming is one of the pioneers and leading providers of Agri-PV solutions and focuses on the dual use of agricultural land. Eco- and Agri-PV from SUNfarming offers both, the increase of biodiversity with simultaneous protection of animals and plants as well as the agricultural dual use of land in addition to green, CO2-neutral energy production. This secures agricultural status and yields.

We speak your language: German, English, Polish, Turkish and Spanish.

Your SUNfarming Team

The Agri-Photovoltaic system consists of three tables, each 12.7 m(W) x 5.5 m (D), the total size of the system is about 200 m2. One table of the plant was aligned classically to the south and the other two tables to the east and west.

After the absolutely smooth installation of the plant on a field directly adjacent to the Hemp FARM, the areas were started to be covered with different crops in mid-May. The following selection was made: Artemisia was planted on one third of the area, some rows were planted outside in the open as comparative objects. On another third of the area, tomato plants of different varieties with different colours and sizes of fruits were placed. On the rest of the area, three different short-straw seed varieties of industrial hemp are growing, some rows planted with nettle and herbs.
"All the plants, without exception, have grown well and developed excellently. Seasonally, we are concerned with the mould resistance of the cannabis plants under the PV system. The time is now beginning when problems with mould often arise with the cannabis flowers and fruiting units outdoors because the moisture from precipitation is not dried by the sun. The rain protection for the plants provided by the PV system works wonderfully," explains Rafael Dulon, founder and managing director of Hanf Farm GmbH, enthusiastically.

Again and again, talks are held with interested farmers who come to see the plant. Mayors and community representatives of other municipalities inform themselves about the possibilities of agri-photovoltaics and its sustainable dual-use concepts.

Learn more here