News

September – November 2026 Harvest Completed and Winter Monitoring Begins

The experimental field has been harvested and sown with winter wheat. Sensors monitoring soil moisture, soil and air temperature, wind speed, and other environmental parameters have been reinstalled to continue data collection in both the agrivoltaic and control areas. While the field enters its winter rest period, an important phase of the project begins: testing the use of electricity from the agrivoltaic system and thermal energy storage to heat a year-round greenhouse. In spring 2027, we plan to organize the first site visits to present the system, share our initial results, and discuss our experience.

August 2026 – Sensor Data Collection Ahead of Harvest

Before harvesting, we are downloading data from sensors installed in both the agrivoltaic experimental area and the control area. The sensors continuously monitor soil moisture, soil temperature, and air temperature. Once the crop has reached a suitable moisture content for harvesting, it will be harvested. The collected data will then be evaluated and compared to assess differences between the agrivoltaic and control areas.

July 2026 – Installation of the Sand Thermal Battery. In July, a specially modified container was installed at the experimental site, forming the basis of the high-temperature sand thermal battery. The battery will be used to store surplus electricity generated by the agrivoltaic power plant in the form of thermal energy, which can subsequently be used in agricultural operations.

June 2026 – Preparation of Cable Routes and Grounding. During June, work continued on connecting the individual components of the installation. Cable conduits and grounding system components were laid in the prepared trenches, which were then backfilled with soil. The site was thus prepared for cable installation, connection of the technological equipment, and completion of the above-ground part of the grounding system.

February 2026 – Project Launch and Construction of the Agrivoltaic System

On 1 February 2026, we have launched the project “Demonstration of Vertical Agrivoltaic System Integrated with Thermal Storage,” supported by the Deutsche Bundesstiftung Umwelt (DBU), Germany. The project explores how crop production, solar energy generation, and energy storage can work together on the same land under real Central European conditions. Vertical bifacial photovoltaic panels generate electricity while their impact on crop growth, microclimate, and water use is monitored. Surplus energy is stored in a thermal battery and used to heat a greenhouse during nights and colder periods, showing how renewable electricity can be put to practical use as heat in agriculture.

Here is how the work has unfolded at our experimental site:

February 2026 – Project launch. The project officially began on 1 February, marking the start of preparations at the experimental site.

March 2026 – Planning and surveying. Throughout March, we carried out detailed design of the supporting structure, surveyed the plot, and performed pull-out load tests to verify the foundations.

Late April / early May 2026 – Construction. At the turn of April and May, the vertical agrivoltaic structure was erected and the photovoltaic panels were mounted on the experimental plot.

Early May 2026 – Groundwork. Excavation followed, including the trenching for the cabling and the grounding system.

May 2026 – Sowing. Once the groundwork was complete, we sowed the main crop, common oats, between the panel rows, where it will grow in the panels’ shade over the coming months.

Next up are the cabling and connection to the thermal battery, plus the above-ground part of the grounding system. After that, the site will be ready for full operation, and we will set up the monitoring system.