Recent hurdles are slowing the pace of technology promotion `Fruchtportal

Harvesting and electricity from the field: With photovoltaics, food and solar electricity can be produced on farmland at the same time. by adjusting renewable energyn-law (EEG 2023), the technology can now be funded in principle.

High potential PV systems urgently need appropriate financing. Image © Hohenheim University

For technology to make its full contribution to the energy transition, however, the federal government must urgently remove the latest hurdles, the scientists demand in a position paper.

Elevated agricultural PV systems can protect plants from harsh weather. Photo © University of Hohenheim/Schweiger

In its assessments, the working group draws on the expertise of a network of 19 members, including the University of Hohenheim in Stuttgart, the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE and the Hochschule Geisenheim.

It produces solar energy and protects the cultivated plants from increasing harsh weather: with solar modules next to or on top of the cultivated plants, the farmland can be used twice. This technology is called agricultural photovoltaics.

The Amended Renewable Energy Sources Act (EEG 2023) created the first framework for expanding the technology. However, researchers from the Photovoltaic Companion Research Working Group are critical of the fact that high-efficiency variants in particular are disadvantaged when it comes to funding. They see an urgent need for debugging so that the technology can reveal its potential in practice.

The full issue sheet is available at www.uni-hohenheim.de/ (pdf)

Source: Hohenheim University

Release date: 02/23/2023