Expansion offensive for solar power: EWS and Energie AG build the largest agri-PV system for grassland and farmland in Upper Austria
The municipality of Pischelsdorf am Engelbach has given the green light for the "EWS Sonnenfeld Pischelsdorf" agri-photovoltaic plant, the first Upper Austrian renewable energy project of its kind. It is thus a pioneer for a large-scale solar power project that enables the dual utilisation of good farmland and grassland. In addition to dual utilisation, the PV system also offers protection against frost and drought damage.
Solar energy from the field is an innovative solution for the dual use of already cultivated arable and grassland areas - and in fact without any significant loss of land. It offers clean, regional solar power production with minimal land consumption and still prioritising agricultural use on 80% of the total area. The PV system does not compete with food production and can be dismantled without leaving any residue after around 30 years.
This concept and the fact that two experienced Upper Austrian partners such as EWS from Munderfing and Energie AG Oberösterreich are responsible for realising the project convinced both landowner and farmer Franz Bachleitner and Mayor Gerhard Höflmaier.
"It's a great project. Initial experience with similar projects has already shown that some crops benefit from the microclimate under the PV modules and that mechanised cultivation works without any problems. This brings many advantages for agriculture, such as additional income in the event of weather-related crop failures. The agri-PV system in our municipality also serves as a role model for other projects in the region," says Gerhard Höflmaier, Mayor of Pischelsdorf am Engelbach.
"Alongside electricity generation from hydropower and wind utilisation, photovoltaics is already a key pillar of the renewable energy future. The Pischelsdorf solar field will be able to generate around 6 million kWh per year from spring 2025. This corresponds to the annual electricity consumption of more than 1,680 households," says Energie AG CTO Alexander Kirchner. That is more than twice as many households as there are in the entire municipality of Pischelsdorf am Engelbach.
Gerhard Steindl, Managing Partner of EWS: "With the development of EWS Sonnenfeld®, we have succeeded in achieving maximum space efficiency with minimum land consumption in large-scale solar projects. We are very pleased that we are now realising the first project of this kind in Upper Austria with Energie AG as our partner and EWS EPC as the general contractor. We are particularly keen to offer citizen participation for the EWS Sonnenfeld Pischelsdorf in accordance with the Alternative Financing Act. For this purpose, a crowdinvesting project for partial financing is being developed. This will allow the citizens of Pischelsdorf to contribute to the realisation of the project and benefit economically from a lucrative return on their invested capital." The details will be presented in a few weeks.
In spring 2025, after just six months of construction, the EWS Sonnenfeld in Pischelsdorf is scheduled to be commissioned and feeding in regionally generated, clean solar power for more than 1,680 households.
Data & Facts about the EWS Sonnenfeld Pischelsdorf
- Power: 4.58 MWp
- Number of modules: 7.514
- Annual electricity production: 5.9 million kWh, equivalent to household electricity for more than 1,680 households
- CO2 savings in 25 years: 114,260 tonnes
- Planned commissioning: spring 2025
Further projects are planned throughout Austria.
"As an Agri-PV project developer, and with our subsidiary EWS EPC GmbH also as a general contractor for Agri-PV systems, we are very optimistic about the Austria-wide and global roll-out of Agri-PV systems. It is simply a great opportunity to drive forward the necessary solar expansion in an environmentally friendly, rapid and cost-effective manner," says Joachim Payr from EWS Consulting.
The EWS team is not only a pioneer in the field of agrivoltaics and has already been driving a stake in the ground for several years with the development of the EWS Sonnenfeld® in Austria. Two specific systems have already been in operation for almost two years.
Many EWS projects are currently in the approval phase. Tried and tested agri-PV plants such as the EWS Sonnenfeld in Bruck an der Leitha and the EWS Sonnenfeld Pellendorf in Lower Austria show that the concept of electricity & food from the farm works perfectly.
We take a holistic view of our Sonnenfeld projects and develop our projects together with municipalities, citizens, agricultural businesses, landowners and researchers. We are firmly convinced that good, sustainable planning and fair cooperation are the best way to achieve the climate targets.
Read the joint press release from EWS and Energie AG on the press conference to mark the start of construction on the EWS Sonnenfeld Pischelsdorf project on 22 October 2024 here.
