The first Agri-PV plant that GPSS is implementing in the Luxembourg municipality of Kehlen as part of the national pilot tender has been opened after a successful construction phase with the mission statement “Production of green electricity in harmony with agriculture and the environment”.
The opening was attended by the Minister for Energy, Minister Lex Delles, the Minister for Agriculture, Minister Martine Hansen, the Minister for the Environment, Minister Serge Wilmes, and the Mayor of the municipality of Kehlen, Mr. Félix Eischen.
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In the project, 49 trackers are installed on a 4.6 ha grassland area. Compared to conventional static PV systems, the trackers have a single-axis tracking system. The PV modules therefore follow the course of the sun from east to west during the day, which leads to an increase in electricity production. At the same time, there is also a high degree of flexibility for active agricultural cultivation, as the PV modules can be brought into a vertical position during cultivation. This gives the farmer the greatest possible working width. With an installed capacity of 2 MWp, the Agri-PV system in Kehlen can supply over 600 households with the electricity it produces.
The pillars of the system structure were driven into the ground without the need for a concrete foundation. This ensures that the system can be dismantled later without leaving any residue.
In addition, ecological measures are integrated in suitable areas, such as the safety areas that are maintained along the plant posts or the edges of the plot, without additionally restricting agricultural activity. The measures include the preservation of strips of old grass, which are excluded from regular mowing and are extensively maintained, as well as the creation of edge strips in which a species-rich meadow mixture with native wild plants is spread.
A central component of the development of the system was the elaboration of an agricultural concept, in constant coordination with the farmer involved. The previous use of the grassland area as a mown meadow will be continued between the tracker rows after installation of the Agri-PV system. The loss of area, which is made up of the area that can no longer be used by machines and the area required for the infrastructure, is only 2.9%. This means that more than 97% of the area can continue to be actively used for agriculture.
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