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New Energy World
New Energy World embraces the whole energy industry as it connects and converges to address the decarbonisation challenge. It covers progress being made across the industry, from the dynamics under way to reduce emissions in oil and gas, through improvements to the efficiency of energy conversion and use, to cutting-edge initiatives in renewable and low carbon technologies.
A 8.7 MW ‘fruitvoltaics’ development is to be built at a farm in North Brabant in the Netherlands.
After a successful pilot project in 2020, BayWa re, and its Dutch subsidiary GroenLeven, will expand the site to install 24,206 photovoltaic (PV) panels to cover the farm’s raspberry crop, generating enough power for 2,810 homes. The project, thought to be the largest of its kind in Europe, is expected to be finished by 1Q2024.
BayWa re believes that agrivoltaics could address challenges in Europe such as land scarcity, extreme weather, and growing demand for solar energy.
Head of Product Management Agri-PV, Stephan Schindele, comments: ‘PV modules protect crops and provide a more resilient growing environment, while also cutting down on single-use plastic coverings. We’ve experimented in depth with the level of transparency PV modules needed in order to let light pass through to crops. Now, we can provide those conditions and generate power on this future-proof farm.’
Benedikt Ortmann, BayWa re’s Global Director of Solar Projects, adds: ‘This development builds on a fruitful pilot, and other success stories in places like Germany, Austria and the Netherlands. We know these initiatives work. The technology is proven, but policy needs to catch up.’
