As of: February 19, 2024, 4:00 p.m
By: Theresa Kuchler
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An agri-PV system is to be built on Auerberg.
© Symbolic photo: Arno Burgi/dpa
A large agri-solar park is to be built near the Auerberg in Bernbeuren.
But it will still take some time before the system goes online.
Bernbeuren – Energiebauern GmbH has long embraced the sun business.
The company from Sielenbach in Swabia plans, builds and manages large solar parks throughout the country, currently primarily in the Upper Palatinate and the new federal states.
The company takes care of around 40 development plans every year, says senior boss Sepp Bichler in an interview with our newspaper.
The company also presented a project in Bernbeuren a while ago - and got the green light for it from the local council a year ago.
On the Osterberg north of the Auerberg, the energy farmers are planning a twelve-hectare agri-PV system that will generate 10,800 megawatt hours of solar power annually.
They want to let sheep graze under the solar modules.
While the project is quite large for the region, it is a comparably small project for the company.
“It is one of our smallest parks,” says senior manager Bichler.
“But for me it has great personal meaning.” As the state chairman of the Catholic Rural Youth, he used to spend a lot of time in the Kienberg Rural Youth Center and therefore still has an emotional connection to the area today.
Construction should be completed by November 2025 at the latest
However, it will still take some time until the solar modules are installed on Osterberg and generate the first solar power.
“The technical planning is currently underway and will then be coordinated structurally,” explains Bichler.
It is not yet possible to say specifically when the company will start building the solar park.
However, it is already clear by when the construction work will be completed: November 2025 at the latest. The agri-solar park is being run through a tender process by the Federal Network Agency, says Bichler.
The company is therefore given a schedule to adhere to for completion.
“Otherwise we have to pay a fine of 500,000 euros.”
The solar park on Osterberg is also taking part in an innovation tender.
The Federal Network Agency is thus promoting system combinations of photovoltaics and storage.
“We do all projects through the innovation tender,” explains Bichler, who describes his company as the “market leader” in the construction of PV systems with battery storage.
Solar park should have battery storage
The idea behind such a storage system is obvious: you want to secure solar power, which is mainly produced at midday but is needed in the evening.
The energy farmers will place two to three containers at the Agri-PV system, which can store up to a third of the system's capacity and feed the electricity generated at lunchtime into the grid in the evening.
The first solar park in the region to have such a battery storage system will be built on Auerberg.
It is also part of the “standard” at Energiebauern GmbH to launch large open-field solar systems with citizen participation.
“I promised the same to the local council back then,” says Bichler, referring to the planned park in Bernbeuren.
We are still sticking to this, assures the senior partner.
Citizens can thus participate financially in the Agri-PV system and receive a fixed interest rate in return.