Summary

The German Renewable Energy Sources Act requires an increase in renewable electricity from 54% in 2024 to 80% by 2030. Agri-photovoltaics (Agri-PV) offers a promising pathway by enabling simultaneous energy generation and agricultural production while reducing land-use conflicts. In North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW), a region transitioning from lignite mining to a bioeconomy, Agri-PV may play a strategic role. However, its impact on soil organic carbon (SOC) dynamics, a key factor for climate regulation, soil fertility, and crop productivity, remains largely unexplored. The SoilCE-PV project addresses this gap by examining SOC stocks and stability, and soil fertility under shading gradients in Agri-PV systems at the Agri-Food-Energy Park in NRW. Integrating plant (IBG-2) and soil (IBG-3) science with economic analyses (Uni Bonn ILR), the project aims to quantify SOC changes, assess yield heterogeneity, and evaluate greenhouse gas offsets and carbon credit opportunities (Fig. 1). Outcomes will provide a basis for optimizing Agri-PV management, enhancing profitability and food security, and supporting Germany’s Climate Action Programme 2030 and Sustainable Development Strategy.

SEED FUND 3.0 Project Coordinator

Partners

Prof. Dr. Harry Verecken, Prof. Dr. Nicolas Brüggemann, IBG-3: Agrosphere, Forschungszentrum Jülich
Prof. Dr. Ulrich Schurr, IBG-2: Plant Sciences, Forschungszentrum Jülich
Jun.-Prof. Dr. Dr. Daniel Hermann, ILR - Economics of Sustainable Land Use and Bioeconomy, University of Bonn

Funding period

01.11.2025 - 31.12.2026

Funding

SoilCE-PV is part of the NRW-Strategieprojekt BioSC and thus funded by the Ministry of Culture and Science of the German State of North Rhine-Westphalia.