SCADA International proudly announces its first collaboration in a ‘power-farming’ project. Together with EWS Consulting GmbH, SCADA International’s OneView® Energy Control Unit will be installed to control the power of a hybrid power plant consisting of 4 wind turbines with a total capacity of 16 MW and a agri-PV plant, the so-called EWS Sonnenfeld®, with a total capacity of 3.3 MW.
The land in which the power-producing units are placed will continue to be used for agriculture – this gives regional and simultaneous production of electricity and food.
The project at a glance
EWS Consulting GmbH and SCADA International have been working together since 2019. EWS Consulting was the technical consultant at SCADA International’s first OneView® Energy Control Unit project in Austria.
EWS Consulting GmbH is a pioneer in the field of agri-PV. For their first project combining a wind park with agri-PV, it was natural for them to choose SCADA International’s energy control unit for hybrid parks, as SCADA International has proven to be a reliable and competent partner in the field of park control:
“The integration of (agri-) ground-mounted photovoltaic systems into existing wind farms is the next step for the energy future. SCADA International is a reliable and professional partner for us, with whom we have already implemented some interesting projects. For our first solar-wind hybrid park, it was clear that we wanted them on board,” says Karl-Heinz Hofer from EWS Consulting GmbH.
Frank Riemer, Sales Director DACH at SCADA International, has been the frontrunner of this project and is thrilled to be part of such a unique project:
“We are happy to be part of this exciting project together with EWS Consulting GmbH. Agri-PV is an important part of the energy transition in Europe there is a higher acceptance of solar PV plants if they are combined with agricultural use. I think we will see more of these agri-PV parks in the future.”
The new power-farming project is in Gaweinstal, Austria. In November 2022, EWS Consulting GmbH commissioned the 5.5 ha Agri-PV plant EWS Sonnenfeld Bruck an der Leitha in Lower Austria together with the project partners as well as the Austrian Minister of Climate Protection, Leonore Gewessler, and Minister of Agriculture, Norbert Totschnig. The field has already been cultivated, and mechanical cultivation took place without any problems. The existing wind park of three 3.3 MW wind turbines has been expanded with a 6.2 MW wind turbine and an agri-PV plant of 3.3 MW.
The fields of the future are multi-functional
When the land is used twice in agricultural PV systems, there is no competition between food production and electrical production. It is a so-called win-win situation, benefiting several stakeholders, as it paves the way for the green energy transition, continues agricultural food production, and increases biodiversity.
For this specific project, the land is shared between agricultural use, flower strips, and solar PV panels.
Another core benefit of agri–photovoltaics is that the panels protect the farmer’s crops from extreme weather conditions like excessive direct sunlight and heavy rain while still producing green power.
