Fraunhofer ISE lands moneying for agrophotovoltaics research study at German apple orchard

• The Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE (Fraunhofer ISE) has actually obtained EUR740,000 (US$ 866,429) in financing to check out land use problems between solar farms as well as farming land.

Moneyed by the Rhineland-Palatinate Ministry of the Environment, the four-year initiative will look into the growth of apple trees under a PV system in the German district of Ahrweiler.

An essential element of the project is how the modules shield the fruit trees from extreme weather condition as a result of climate adjustment.

Rhineland-Palatinate atmosphere minister, Ulrike Höfken, stated alongside the eco-friendly energy advantages, the components act as protective roofings against hailstorm and too much sunlight. She claimed that comparable projects can likewise be conceivable in various other agricultural locations, including poultry farms.

Höfken added that the project is intended to counter land use problems in between solar systems and also farming land with brand-new knowledge, techniques and strategies to stakeholder and also resident engagement.

Various other companions in the project consist of the German Federal Ministry for Food as well as Agriculture, BayWa and Elektrizitätswerke Schönau.

Fraunhofer ISE has actually currently made steps to show the stability of dual land use after completing a successful trial in 2017. The year-long study at a pilot project near Lake Constance in Germany utilized bifacial solar components to provide as much sunshine as possible to crops such as wheat, potatoes and also celeriac by restricting the shielding impact on crop development.

Fraunhofer ISE supervisor Prof. Hans-Martin Henning said as agrophotovoltaics (APV) has the prospective to open up "quickly needed" space for the PV growth in Germany. He included: "At the very same time, APV can alleviate the clashing interests in between farming as well as open space PV systems for feasible land."