The aim of the first implementation phase of the »Model Region Agrivoltaics for Baden-Württemberg« project is to drive expansion of agrivoltaic technology in Baden-Württemberg.

The focus in the first phase, which was led by Fraunhofer ISE and involved 13 project partners, was on pome fruit and soft fruit. Agrivoltaic facilities with a total peak power output of up to 1,700 kWp were installed at five sites in Baden-Württemberg.

The PV systems in Kressbronn and Bavendorf were installed in 2022, and those in Oberkirch-Nußbach and Heuchlingen in 2023. The last PV systems was installed in 2024 in Augustenberg. A framework programme, under the joint leadership of the University of Public Administration Kehl and Fraunhofer ISE, was launched to connect the sub-projects and exploit synergies.

The project looked at the feasibility of various aspects at different sites, including crop-specific aspects of the photovoltaic system and the choice of crop and variety, and developed a more nuanced conception of the legal framework. The agricultural research is being conducted by Landwirtschaftliches Technologiezentrum Augustenberg (LTZ Augustenberg), a state institute for agriculture in Baden-Württemberg, Kompetenzzentrum Obstbau Bodensee (KOB Bavendorf), a foundation for the promotion of fruit growing in the Lake Constance region, and Staatliche Lehr- und Versuchsanstalt für Wein- und Obstbau (LVWO Weinsberg), a state training and research institute for wine- and fruit-growing. The project was funded by the Baden-Württemberg Ministry for the Environment, Climate and Energy Sector and the Baden-Württemberg Ministry of Food, Rural Affairs and Consumer Protection.

The second implementation phase started in January 2025. The aim is to continue the research at KOB Bavendorf (apples), LTZ Augustenberg (apples, pears and plums) and LVWO Weinsberg (soft fruit and sweet cherries) and investigate the potential of agrivoltaics in combination with specialty crops, while also broadening the focus to other types of agriculture. Six more pilot projects in Baden-Württemberg (Walldürn-Neusaß, Ihinger Hof, Blankenhornsberg, Schöntal and Uttenweiler, Meßkirch and five permanent grassland sites) were integrated into the project and will also be scientifically monitored and evaluated. In addition, the project will intensify efforts to develop a plant/power-optimising tracking algorithm.

The primary goal of the project is to answer questions about dual land use for agriculture and solar power generation. By developing and studying pilot plants at five sites with different fruit crops (first implementation phase) and studying PV systems in combination with permanent grassland, arable farming, conifers, laying hens and winegrowing (second implementation phase), the project will investigate the feasibility of various promising areas of application, technologies and configuration options. The plan is to identify systems that will work for several different crops or varieties.

Additional aims

To create synergies between the individual sites

To investigate promising fields of application and technologies (tracking algorithm) and configuration options

To study the effects of varying shade regimes on the growth and ecophysiology of the crop plants

To research the impacts of crop protection products on thePV modules and substructures

To produce handbooks for farmers and regulatory authorities

In its coalition agreement, the state government of Baden-Württemberg has set itself the goal of establishing agrivoltaics as an efficient form of land use and promoting its potential, particularly for specialised crops. To achieve this goal, it plans to support the construction of more pilot plants.

To evaluate the options for promoting pilot plants, at the end of 2020 the state commissioned Fraunhofer ISE to work with five agricultural research institutes – Kompetenzzentrum Obstbau Bodensee Bavendorf (KOB Bavendorf), Landwirtschaftliches Technologiezentrum Augustenberg (LTZ Augustenberg), Staatliches Weinbauinstitut Freiburg (WBI), Staatliche Lehr- und Versuchsanstalt für Wein- und Obstbau Weinsberg (LVWO Weinsberg) and the University of Hohenheim (UHOH) – to carry out a feasibility study to identify possible research and demonstration sites for agrivoltaics in Baden-Württemberg.

The results of this study were presented at the end of July 2021. It evaluated 11 sites in terms of regional planning, agricultural and technical aspects and financing options. And it identified the most relevant and promising agricultural applications for rolling out agrivoltaics and specified suitable PV technologies.

Five of these plants were planned, built and studied in the first implementation phase of the project, which ran to 2024.

Accelerating climate change is possibly the greatest challenge that humanity has ever faced. Once dismissed as an abstract vision of the future, the catastrophic impacts of global warming are now painfully visible. The state of Baden-Württemberg has recognised this existential threat and is pursuing a number of ambitious measures to advance Germany’s federal energy transition policy. However, there are challenges associated with this vital project, especially for a country with a relatively small land area like Germany. Renewable energy production from photovoltaic modules takes up large areas, which means the energy industry is already competing with agriculture for available land.