Germany to accelerate solar PV deployment on agricultural land

February 14, 2022
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Reddit
Email
Germany’s new coalition is aiming for 80% renewable power by 2030. Image: BayWa r.e.

Germany is launching an initiative to support the construction of solar projects on agricultural land, in a move the economy ministry estimates could result in the deployment of 200GW of extra PV capacity.

A joint package announced by the ministers of agriculture, climate and environment will see agriPV plants promoted by Germany’s Renewable Energy Act (EEG), enabling land to be used for both power production and agriculture.

This article requires Premium SubscriptionBasic (FREE) Subscription

Try Premium for just $1

  • Full premium access for the first month at only $1
  • Converts to an annual rate after 30 days unless cancelled
  • Cancel anytime during the trial period

Premium Benefits

  • Expert industry analysis and interviews
  • Digital access to PV Tech Power journal
  • Exclusive event discounts

Or get the full Premium subscription right away

Or continue reading this article for free

Moorland used for agriculture could be used to install solar projects under the EEG as long as the land is restored, while it will also be possible for agriPV projects to receive funding under the European Union’s Common Agricultural Policy (CAP).

Cem Özdemir, minister for agriculture, said the proposals represent a “win-win-win for climate, nature and agriculture”, adding: “Our three houses have set out to ensure an optimal exchange between the requirements of agriculture and energy production as well as the protection of nature.”

The plans form part of efforts from Germany’s new coalition government to generate at least 80% of its power from renewables in less than nine years, up from 45% in 2020, as it also targets 200GW of installed solar capacity by 2030.

German solar trade association the Bundesverband Solarwirtschaft (BSW), which recently warned that barriers will need to be “torn down” for the 200GW target to be met, welcomed the government’s agriPV proposals, but said it is also necessary to expand the currently “very restrictive” location framework for the construction of new solar parks.

“The proposals now being submitted by the federal ministries are a step in the right direction, but they fall short,” said BSW CEO Carsten Körnig, adding that a lack of solar park locations “will foreseeably become an investment barrier”.

A recently announced agriPV research project in the German state of Rhineland-Palatinate is being used to explore how solar systems can protect plants and fruits from extreme weather. The project partners, renewables developer BayWa r.e. and the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE, are testing different PV module configurations to identify the impact on plant growth and crop yields.

According to trade association SolarPower Europe, new rules from the European Commission could encourage tenders specific to certain renewable applications, including agriPV.

Read Next

October 15, 2025
The average price of a solar PPA signed in North America increased 4% between the second and third quarters of 2025, according to LevelTen.
October 15, 2025
The Australian government has approved the 141MW Forbes Solar Farm Project in New South Wales in just 19 days, marking one of the fastest environmental approvals on record in the country.
October 14, 2025
German IPP wpd has started construction at its 140.6MW Marcy solar park in the Nièvre department of central France.
October 13, 2025
ANSI has approved a new traceability standard proposed by the SEIA to improve transparency of the solar and storage supply chain.
October 9, 2025
The Australian government has announced the results of the fourth Capacity Investment Scheme (CIS) tender, with 6.6GW of renewables awarded long-term contracts.
October 9, 2025
Germany has awarded contracts to 490MW of solar-plus-storage projects in its latest “innovation” auction for co-located renewables.

Subscribe to Newsletter

Upcoming Events

Solar Media Events
October 21, 2025
New York, USA
Solar Media Events
November 25, 2025
Warsaw, Poland
Solar Media Events
December 2, 2025
Málaga, Spain
Solar Media Events
February 3, 2026
London, UK