Germany SUNfarming and SPIE are designing and installing substation for green power from Europe’s largest agri solar project

Steinhöfel, 28 August 2024- SUNfarming GmbH, Germany's leading agrivoltaic systems developer and investor, is partnering with SPIE, the independent European leader in multi-technical services in the areas of energy and communications, to install the substation for green power from Europe's largest agrivoltaic project, "Klimapark Steinhöfel". This project, which spans eight local districts, will connect a total installed capacity of up to 753 MegaWatt peak (MWp) to the grid. The system is equipped with four transformers and will ensure that the generated energy is reliably fed into the existing high-voltage grid of the regional distribution network operator, E.DIS, via 110-kilovolt cable systems.

Klimapark Steinhöfel is a flagship climate park project in the photovoltaic sector, combining sustainable energy generation with genuine agricultural production on approximately 500 hectares of land. Innovative designs and technologies enable efficient and sustainable dual use of agricultural land, featuring light and rainwater management under bifacial glass-glass PV modules, installed according to DIN SPEC at a minimum height of 2.10 metres. This dual use has lasting positive effects on animal welfare, farming practices, biodiversity, CO₂ reduction, groundwater conservation and agricultural yield protection on the previously difficult-to-cultivate sandy soils in this region. SUNfarming developed the agricultural concept for Klimapark Steinhöfel in close collaboration with an agricultural consultancy for local farms along with farmers from the region and brought it to the building permit phase within a four-year development period. Following the installation of the agrivoltaic systems, the agricultural land will be used for perennial fodder crop production and as temporary paddocks for calf and heifer breeding.

SPIE will provide all the services for this project, from building permit and implementation planning to the complete procurement of materials for the substation, primary and secondary planning, as well as assembly and commissioning. "Our technical solutions enable the integration of renewable energies and thus create the infrastructural prerequisites for the energy transition and a climate-friendly future," says Burkhard Sager, Head of the High Voltage division at SPIE Deutschland & Zentraleuropa. Hannes Weinreich, Head of Green Substations in SPIE Deutschland & Zentraleuropa's High Voltage Division, adds, "We're bringing together decades of experience to realise this complex project. Specific challenges lie in the tightly scheduled timeline, where many steps must interlock precisely for a project of this scale to succeed."

"Klimapark Steinhöfel is SUNfarming's largest pioneering project, which we successfully developed within just under four years, achieving regulatory approvals in all districts," explains Martin Tauschke, Co-Founder and Managing Director of SUNfarming. "We wouldn't be able to realise this ambitious undertaking without the excellent, close collaboration with the municipality of Steinhöfel, the region's citizens, the district of Oder-Spree, our agricultural lessors and our technical partners." SUNfarming has been developing and researching its proprietary agrivoltaic systems for over 10 years. "Our agrivoltaic solutions impress both farmers and investors alike," explains Edith Brasche, Managing Director of Project Development at SUNfarming. "We currently have several gigawatts of agrivoltaic systems in development, not only for use in crop and fruit cultivation but also for raising mother cows and calves, poultry and fallow deer. Klimapark Steinhöfel is part of our research, demonstrating that agrivoltaic systems protect the environment, nature and groundwater against climate change while bringing real added value to rural regions," Brasche adds.

Substation works are scheduled to start in the third quarter of 2025, with commissioning planned for the second quarter of 2026. Upon commissioning, the first sections of the agrivoltaic park in Steinhöfel will be connected directly to the grid via the substation.

E.DIS Netz GmbH, a driving force behind the transition to renewable energies, is proud to bring its expertise and support to this groundbreaking project. As a long-standing advocate for the energy transition in the region, E.DIS Netz GmbH is significantly involved in providing the grid connection at the Steinhöfel substation, which will serve as the hub for feeding green power from Europe's largest agri-solar project into the grid. "Our partnership in this project underscores our ongoing commitment to developing innovative solutions for a sustainable energy supply," emphasises Petra Kortenkamp, Head of Individual Customers at E.DIS Netz GmbH. "For over two years, we have been intensively involved in the planning and realisation of the technical grid connection, enabling the efficient integration of generated renewable energy into the grid. Our focus is on creating a secure, future-proof energy infrastructure." E.DIS Netz GmbH sees this endeavour as a significant investment in the regional energy economy and an important step towards a carbon-neutral future. "This project impressively demonstrates how collaboration and technological innovations can pave the way for a sustainable energy future. We are firmly committed to furthering our contribution to the energy transition by promoting and implementing innovative projects that will drive it forward," adds Petra Kortenkamp.