The role of Agri-PV in the German solar strategy
By 2024, photovoltaic energy accounted for 14 percent of the German energy mix. This was thanks to 4.2 million photovoltaic systems with a total rated output of around 98,300 megawatts. This demonstrates that Germany’s energy transformation is well underway.
So far, many solar energy projects have been realised in open spaces, particularly on agricultural land. Expanding solar energy on agricultural land creates new challenges, namely conflicts of interest between agriculture and energy generation. To overcome this, the multiple use of these lands through the development of agri-PV projects will become increasingly important.
According to a new study by the Ökoinstitut, around 4.3 million hectares of the 16.5 million hectares, which are used for producing agricultural products, have been identified as particularly suitable for AGRI-PV projects. The German government is well aware of the conflicts of interest, as well as the benefits of dual use. Therefore, agri-PV has been subsidised by law since 2023.
The key developers in the German Agri-PV sector
This development opens up new opportunities for those in the renewable energy sector. Agri-PV is currently a very niche part of the solar energy sector, but the first companies in this field are already adapting their business activities and becoming more involved. Large renewable energy developers such as RWE, BayWa r.e. and EnBW are expanding their business activities. There are also solar energy developers specialising in the development of Agri-PV projects, such as SUNfarming GmbH and Feldwerke GmbH, as well as companies that are experimenting with their first Agri-PV projects or are interested in entering this area of solar energy.
Given the high potential of Agri-PV and the promising future of these projects, the renewables.digital team has created a list of the biggest German Agri-PV developers. Based on their completed projects, development pipelines and overall ambitions, the team identified Sunfarming GmbH, Feldwerke GmbH and BayWa r.e. as the three largest agri-PV developers in Germany.
Sources: Statistisches Bundesamt ; Öko-Institut e.V.
Picture source: Michael Förtsch via Unsplash
