How Biodiversity and Soil Are Turning Into a Hot Topic for Agri-PV

premium account

Recording of Tuesday, June 18, 2024 | The smarter E Europe 2024 | Conference Program | Language: English | Duration: 17:04 .

The Importance of Adding Value and Addressing Social, Economic, and Environmental Challenges in Renewable Energy Projects

Eva, a recognized leader in the energy sector, leaves the session to attend an award ceremony where she is nominated. Her colleague praises her leadership and impactful statement that "energy alone is not enough," emphasizing the need for additional value beyond green electrons. The conversation shifts towards competitive markets and effective business cases in renewable energy projects like agro-photovoltaics (ACU-PV). It’s crucial for such ventures to provide financial benefits to farmers. The speaker discusses various challenges faced by the photovoltaic (PV) sector including technical, economic, social, and environmental issues. There is a significant growth rate in PV which necessitates better communication with rural areas to maintain social peace amid political threats from right-wing parties opposing renewables. Focusing on environmental aspects like biodiversity loss and ecovoltaics becomes essential. ACU-PV integrates agricultural activities with solar power generation; it can be productive (yielding food or fiber) or non-productive (enhancing natural capital). Effective implementation increases land use efficiency and techno-ecological synergies but always includes both farmers and agricultural activity unlike conventional systems.

Automated summarization by AI Conver

Stephan Schindele
Head of Product Management Agri-PV
BayWa r.e. AG
Germany

Several European countries have implemented their first agricultural PV projects and policymakers are starting to recognize the benefits of this technology. Governments have been adopting regulatory frameworks that enable both food and power production. Agricultural PV has positive effects on biodiversity and nature, as well as revenues. But is the business case for agricultural PV really compelling enough for farmers to adopt it at a large scale? This session will discuss: Latest projects and regulatory changes in various European agricultural PV markets Business models integrating ‘Nature Based Solutions' from pilot projects to utility-scale agricultural PV power plants Why biodiversity is turning into a hot topic in agricultural PV Fireside chat: How to convince food farmers to adopt solar farming.

Speaker

Eva Vandest
Head of Public Affairs
Amarenco
Austria

To Talk

Speaker

Ignacio Asenjo
Policy Officer
European Commission
Belgium

To Talk

Speaker

Emilien Simonot
Head of Agrivoltaics EMEA and APAC
Lightsource bp
UK

To Talk

Speaker

Fabian Neu
Senior Expert Agri-PV
RWE Renewables Europe & Australia GmbH
Germany

To Talk

Speaker

Jiri Bim
Head of Agrivoltaic Section
Czech Solar Association
Czech Republic

To Talk

To Talk

Further Content
Webinar
Mixed Investment Solar Projects in Mexico: The 54% Model Explained

January 29, 2026

Mexico has introduced a new mixed investment scheme for renewable power generation, requiring a minimum 54% direct or indirect participation by CFE.

The smarter E Europe Conferences 2025
Panel Discussion of of the Session Off-Grid: When Will Off-Grid PV Follow the Affordability Trend?(BSW)

Wednesday, May 07, 2025, 04:00 pm - 05:30 pm

The smarter E Europe Conferences 2025 | Conference Program

premium account

Photovoltaic prices have fallen continuously in recent years - a trend that should translate into a growing market for off-grid solutions. Declining costs are crucial for rural electrification in particular, making sustainable energy supply economically viable in remote regions. However, so far many of these price advantages have not yet reached the people that need them most. Do existing framework conditions to foster rural electrification still work in this new market reality? Which measures are needed to ensure that cost reductions reach our target group? This session discusses strategies for improving the availability of low-cost off-grid solutions, financing and innovative business models. A look at successful practical examples shows which political, economic and technological levers need to be pulled to make off-grid PV accessible on a large scale.

The smarter E Europe Conferences 2025
Setting the Scene "Affodability"

Wednesday, May 07, 2025, 04:00 pm - 05:30 pm

The smarter E Europe Conferences 2025 | Conference Program

premium account

Photovoltaic prices have fallen continuously in recent years - a trend that should translate into a growing market for off-grid solutions. Declining costs are crucial for rural electrification in particular, making sustainable energy supply economically viable in remote regions. However, so far many of these price advantages have not yet reached the people that need them most. Do existing framework conditions to foster rural electrification still work in this new market reality? Which measures are needed to ensure that cost reductions reach our target group? This session discusses strategies for improving the availability of low-cost off-grid solutions, financing and innovative business models. A look at successful practical examples shows which political, economic and technological levers need to be pulled to make off-grid PV accessible on a large scale.

The smarter E Europe Conferences 2025
Setting the Scene "Off-Grid"

Wednesday, May 07, 2025, 04:00 pm - 05:30 pm

The smarter E Europe Conferences 2025 | Conference Program

premium account

Photovoltaic prices have fallen continuously in recent years - a trend that should translate into a growing market for off-grid solutions. Declining costs are crucial for rural electrification in particular, making sustainable energy supply economically viable in remote regions. However, so far many of these price advantages have not yet reached the people that need them most. Do existing framework conditions to foster rural electrification still work in this new market reality? Which measures are needed to ensure that cost reductions reach our target group? This session discusses strategies for improving the availability of low-cost off-grid solutions, financing and innovative business models. A look at successful practical examples shows which political, economic and technological levers need to be pulled to make off-grid PV accessible on a large scale.

The smarter E Europe Conferences 2025
Welcome of of the Session Off-Grid: When Will Off-Grid PV Follow the Affordability Trend?(BSW)

Wednesday, May 07, 2025, 04:00 pm - 05:30 pm

The smarter E Europe Conferences 2025 | Conference Program

premium account

Photovoltaic prices have fallen continuously in recent years - a trend that should translate into a growing market for off-grid solutions. Declining costs are crucial for rural electrification in particular, making sustainable energy supply economically viable in remote regions. However, so far many of these price advantages have not yet reached the people that need them most. Do existing framework conditions to foster rural electrification still work in this new market reality? Which measures are needed to ensure that cost reductions reach our target group? This session discusses strategies for improving the availability of low-cost off-grid solutions, financing and innovative business models. A look at successful practical examples shows which political, economic and technological levers need to be pulled to make off-grid PV accessible on a large scale.

You are using an outdated browser

The website cannot be viewed in this browser. Please open the website in an up-to-date browser such as Edge, Chrome, Firefox, or Safari.