During the visit of Hesse's Science Minister Timon Gremmels on September 5, 2024, Hochschule Geisenheim reflected on the first year of operation of its agrivoltaic system, "VitiVoltaic," in the vineyards.
Overall, the university views the system as a contribution to achieving Germany's goal of greenhouse gas neutrality by 2045 through the generation of solar power. For viticulture itself, the high roof could potentially replace hail protection nets. Additionally, it is expected to reduce soil water evaporation, mitigate the damage from late frosts, and prevent sunburn damage to grapes, according to the results from the first year of operation.
If the canopy under the PV modules remains drier, it could also reduce pest infestations and thus decrease the need for plant protection products. Preliminary findings suggest that the ripening of the grapes is delayed by the use of the system, which might counteract some effects of climate change.
The innovative system also serves as the basis for a prototype designed as a mobile version, which could be used in young vine plantations, for example. This "VitiCULT-PVmobil" is being developed in collaboration with the Fraunhofer Institute and the solar energy and structural engineering firm sbp sonne.
While the use of agrivoltaics is more expensive than traditional photovoltaic systems for the same performance, due to the need for a specialized support structure for the automated modules, it preserves agricultural use. According to a position paper from the university, the additional benefits could ultimately lead to increased efficiency.
Since March 2023, the fixed installation with movable, semi-transparent modules has been generating energy. The first vintage of wine from the research vineyard is now also available. PD
