Solar Energy And Agriculture: Energiequelle Launches Agri PV Research Project With Finnish Universities

Helsinki, Finland - Energiequelle GmbH has already been active on the Finnish market for several years. The renewable energy project developer is now launching a joint research project on agrivoltaics under Nordic conditions together with the University of Helsinki and Turku University of Applied Sciences.

Field trials will be carried out to determine the optimal operating model in terms of the placement of solar modules on farmed land. In addition, more environmentally friendly racks for solar modules and the possibility of intelligent use on farms, for example by automating the irrigation of crops, will be investigated. According to Energiequelle, the Agrivoltaic project is the first of its kind in Finland.

"We want to create an operating model in which renewable energies and agriculture join hands to support and strengthen each other", summarizes Karl Schultheis, Head of New Business Development at Energiequelle in Finland.

Schultheis also hopes that solar energy will reduce the risks for farmers by reducing the economic losses caused by extreme weather events. Solar modules also have the potential to create a special microclimate, similar to greenhouses, which can be used to mimic different environmental conditions. This could, for example, promote the growth of certain plants in the Nordic countries and increase yields, which could reduce dependence on food imports.

"An operating model optimized for Finnish conditions, in which solar power is generated in parallel with agriculture, would contribute to the implementation of Finland's sustainability and climate protection goals", says Antti Lajunen, project manager at the University of Helsinki. The installation of solar modules on farmed land would contribute to sustainable land use and counteract the loss of biodiversity and deforestation, Lajunen continues.

As things stand, there is a possibility that photovoltaic pilot systems with plantations will be set up next year, but the final location and timetable are still open, according to Energiequelle. The preparatory project will then be used as a basis for larger field trials and more in-depth research into agri-PV.

Energiequelle has been active on the Finnish market since 2015, has already connected five wind farms to the grid there and has more than 2,500 MW of wind and solar projects in the pipeline. With almost 40 employees, the expansion of renewable energies in Finland is being continuously driven forward with offices in Helsinki and Vaasa.

Source: IWR Online, 24 Jan 2024