"Watts & Wheat" - PV as a business model for agriculture

In the latest publication "Watt & Weizen", the Ökosoziales Forum brings together topics and requirements relating to agrivoltaics: The expansion of PV in agriculture and forestry is discussed and an insight into agrivoltaic projects and their implementation from planning to realisation is provided. A list of innovative practical examples, such as the EWS Sonnenfeld®, shows "that farmers as energy producers are not just a business model, but a promise for a fairer and greener future", as can be read on the Ecosocial Forum's social media platforms.

PV capacity must grow by more than two GWP per year, this will not be possible without large-scale power plants

If we want to achieve the PV expansion targets of 21 GWp by 2030, as set out in the federal government's national climate targets and outlined in the Austrian National Infrastructure Plan (ÖNIP), this will not be possible without ground-mounted power plants. All experts agree on this, as Christoph Mayr from the Austrian Institute of Technology (AIT) was recently quoted in an ORF report.

The article mentions that PV expansion in 2022 was more than one GWp, mainly with private PV systems. E-Control is forecasting at least 2.7 GWp for 2023 and considers this to be the peak in this area for the time being. According to a study, there is currently a total PV potential of eight GWp on Austria's roofs and façades, says Chrisoph Mayr.

Studies and a broad consensus among experts clearly show that both ground-mounted PV systems and the acceleration of PV expansion are needed for rapid PV expansion in line with climate targets.

According to ÖNIP, the greatest potential lies in Lower Austria, Upper Austria and Styria. Whether areas are released for this is a matter for the federal states. (See the graphic in the gallery on the right "Stand des PV-Zubaus in den Bundesländern").

Great potential for multiple use

The dual or multiple use of surfaces is ideally suited for railway platform and car park roofs, for noise protection surfaces on motorways and, above all, in agriculture.

The opening statement at "Watt & Weizen" by Hans Mayrhofer, Secretary General of the Ecosocial Forum Austria & Europe, states: "Agri-PV is a prime example of innovation in agriculture. It has the potential to produce a triple harvest on one and the same area of land: first-class food, clean electricity and increased biodiversity. All this happens in close proximity to the people who need these resources." He continues: "By combining ecological, economic and social aspects in agrivoltaics, we are creating an eco-social balance."

Let's utilise the potential - we at EWS know how!

• Our 3 MWp EWS Sonnenfeld agri-PV system in Bruck/Leitha has been generating electricity since November 2022. The farmers agree that the agricultural management works without any problems and the crop cultivation results in the first year are also impressive. The University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, which is providing scientific support for the innovative lighthouse project, is currently analysing the data for 2023 and will publish a report on this in the near future.
• The EWS Sonnenfeld Pellendorf, an agri-PV system with an annual electricity production of 4,267 MWh, which EWS implemented as an EPC contractor for Gugelsolar GmbH, has also been in operation since 2023.

Further EWS Sonnenfeld® projects are currently in the approval phase, selected projects are presented on our website.

Do you also want to realise an Agri-PV project and are still looking for an implementation partner? Then contact us or make a non-binding site check right away.

Read the online version of "Watt & Weizen" (in German) here.
Read the entire ORF report (in German) from 15.04.2024 here.