As part of the research project "Model Region Agri-Photovoltaics for Baden-Württemberg", the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems (ISE) is supervising and monitoring an elevated and easily removable photovoltaic system above a reforestation area.
It is being used on the excavated and refilled areas of a quartz sand pit near Meßkirch, which is operated by Emil Steidle GmbH &Co. KG. The PV system provides the 40% shade that seedlings would find in a forest and can be moved to the next area to be reforested as soon as the young trees are strong enough. In March, Baden-Württemberg's Minister for Food, Rural Areas and Consumer Protection, Peter Hauk, opened the pilot plant.
The PV system provides the 40 percent shade that seedlings would find in a forest.
The surplus is fed into the public power grid. The Forest Research Institute Baden-Württemberg (FVA) is investigating the growth behavior, water supply and height development of the trees in comparison to a reference area directly next to it without a canopy. Young silver fir and Nordmann fir trees were planted on both test areas.
