Extended Technical Tour 2 - Southern Germany
To Kressbronn, Grub, Hallertau, and Obstbau Vöhringer
Friday, July 4, 09:00 - Saturday, July 5, 20:00
This tour will visit the following stations:
1. Kressbronn
Located in Kressbronn on Lake Constance, fruit farmer Hubert Bernhard and his family cultivate 86 hectares of agricultural land. Of this, 47 hectares are devoted to pome fruit. With different varieties, apples are the main crop. The acreage stretches from Lake Constance to the hinterland and is cultivated with strawberries, gooseberries, currants and hops in addition to apples. Since 2014, the farm has been active in the model project “Demonstration farms for integrated plant protection”. Among other things, Mr. Bernhard is chairman of the Tettnang Fruit Growers' Ring and the local machinery ring.
The facility is the first in Germany to integrate an agrivoltaic system into an existing apple orchard. PV modules are arranged in a roof shape and aligned east-west with 1110 semi-transparent PV modules (239 kWp) with varying degrees of light transmission. Nets between the PV modules provide additional protection in the event of hail.
The accompanying agronomic research is carried out by the Kompetenzzentrum Obstbau Bodensee (KOB). The KOB tests the suitability of the Gala variety for AV based on the quality and quantity of apple yields from the Kressbronn plantation.
- Demonstrator area: 4000 m2
- Systems: Semi-transparent PV modules with 40% and 51% light transmission
- Crops: Apples (Gala)
- Installed capacity: 239 kWp
2. Grub
In June 2024 the demonstration and research facility located in Grub, close to Munich, was finally inaugurated on arable land with an installed capacity of aprox. 900 kWp, owned and operated by the Bavarian State Estates. The accompanying agronomic research is carried out by the Technology and Support Centre (TFZ) in Straubing.
The facility was the first in Germany which offers a wide range of agrivoltaics application types on the same area. The setup includes a vertical and single-axis tracking AV system with machining widths of 12 and 24 meters and a high elevated system in 4.5m height with 12 meters machining width. The objective is to examine the influence of these systems on arable crops, management practices and microclimate on-site.
- Demonstrator area: aprox. 72,000 m2
- Systems: Vertical, single-axis tracking and high elevated
- Crops: Crop rotation (spring barley, ryegrass, soy, winter wheat, etc.)
- Installed capacity: aprox. 900 kWp
► Overnight stay in Grub
3. Hallertau
The hop agrivoltaic system developed by Josef Wimmer is likely the first of its kind in terms of height and scale. In spring 2023, the initial system was installed on a 1.3-hectare plot of the Wimmer farm, with the capacity to supply electricity to 200 households. The PV modules are mounted on steel masts which also serve as hop poles. The pilot plant is being scientifically monitored by Fraunhofer ISE and the Weihenstephan-Triesdorf University of Applied Sciences in Freising.
The setup includes two hop varieties and two different PV module types, mounted at heights between 7 and 9 meters, providing a robust foundation for scientific research. Key motivations for Josef Wimmer’s pioneering efforts in agrivoltaics include water savings, hail protection, and the diversification of revenue streams.
- Demonstrator area: 1,3 ha
- Systems: 2 different PV modules, fixed, south oriented
- Crops: Hops (“Hallertauer Tradition” and “Herkules”)
- Installed capacity: 977 kWp
4. Cowvoltaics in Eastern Allgäu
Join us for an exclusive visit to a large nutrition producer’s flagship agrivoltaics project in Eastern Allgäu, where dairy farming and processing meets renewable energy. This 4.5 MWp agrivoltaics system is designed to support a certified organic dairy farm, integrating milk production, grazing, and hay harvesting beneath the PV modules. The system features two elevation levels ( 1.8 m for young cattle, and 2.0 m for dairy cows), ensuring optimal land use while maintaining animal welfare. The generated solar power will directly supply milk nutrition producer’s nearby production facility, which processes infant formula, hospital nutrition and various sauces — creating a closed-loop, regional value chain. With extended row spacing for efficient hay cutting and innovative mounting, this site sets a new benchmark for livestock-compatible agrivoltaics.
Be among the first to explore this pioneering site and gain insights into the future of livestock-integrated agrivoltaics.
- Demonstrator area: 4,77 ha
- Systems: 2p-fixed-tilt south PV with two different elevation levels (1.8.m, and 2m)
- Animals: Young cattle, and dairy cows (all organic certified)
- Installed capacity: 4.5 MWp
5. Fruit Farm “Obstbau Vöhringer” in Hofgut Aichach
The innovative AVS at the fruit farm “Vöhringer” in Berg, district of Ravensburg, consists of 48 PV modules with a capacity of approximately 5.7 kWp integrated in a traditional covering system for fruit farming. With a PV modules size of 2000x400mm, the AV design is optimized for the best balance between PV yield and the avoidance of harvest losses. The system includes two lightweight module topologies: a fiberglass-reinforced plastic and a type with honeycomb structure. The system allows to integrate the PV modules without additional substructure so that traditional fruit farming systems can be retrofitted with minimal effort. The PV modules and the integration system were developed within a joint project of Fraunhofer ISE and VOEN Vöhringer GmbH & Co. KG, a provider of covering systems for the protection of stone fruit, berries and more against rain, hail, frost, and other risks.
- Demonstrator area: 450 m2
- Systems: Integrated lightweight system
- Crops: Cherries
- Installed capacity: 5.7 kWp
