RWE agrivoltaics pilot in Bedburg delivers first year results combining solar generation with farming

credit: RWE / photographer: Klaus Görgen

(IN BRIEF) RWE’s agrivoltaics demonstration project in Bedburg has delivered promising first results, showing that solar electricity production and crop farming can successfully coexist. Since early 2024, about 6,100 solar modules have generated enough green power for 1,044 German homes while farmers harvested wheat, barley and raspberries across a seven-hectare site. Three different system designs — vertical, sun-tracking and pergola-style — are being tested, with early findings showing comparable or even improved crop yields and better soil moisture retention. RWE’s Katja Wünschel said the project highlights the value of combining energy generation and agriculture as solar expansion continues. The research is supported by Fraunhofer ISE and Forschungszentrum Jülich, with funding from North Rhine-Westphalia.

(PRESS RELEASE) ESSEN, 8-Sep-2025 — /EuropaWire/ — RWE has taken an important step toward combining renewable power generation with productive farming. At its 3.2 megawatt agrivoltaics demonstration site in Bedburg, located on a recultivated area at the edge of the Garzweiler opencast mine, the company has been producing green electricity and growing crops side by side since early 2024. Around 6,100 solar modules now supply enough clean power for more than 1,000 German households, while farmers are simultaneously harvesting wheat, barley and raspberries.

The project, which covers about seven hectares, is designed to test how agriculture and photovoltaics can function in harmony. Three technical solutions are being trialled: vertically mounted solar panels arranged like fences, a sun-tracking system with modules that rotate east to west, and a pergola-style installation raised above fruit crops. The results from the first year show encouraging outcomes — grain yields are comparable to those from conventional fields, with some improvements in protein content, while raspberry plants have thrived under the protective cover of elevated panels.

credit: RWE / photographer: Klaus Görgen

Katja Wünschel, CEO RWE Renewables Europe & Australia, highlighted the significance of the findings: “The need for land to expand solar power makes the symbiosis of agriculture and photovoltaics particularly valuable. Our initial results show that high-quality crops can be grown alongside renewable generation, and we are eager to continue learning in the years ahead.”

Soil health and farm operations are also being closely monitored. Early measurements show that both the vertical and tracker systems allow rainwater to penetrate and reduce evaporation, leading to more consistent soil moisture levels that benefit plant growth. Farmers have reported that machinery can operate effectively between the rows of modules provided sufficient spacing and turning room is ensured. For fruit cultivation, the pergola-style design not only delivers stable yields but also offers protection for workers and crops from extreme sun and storms.

The initiative is being conducted with scientific input from Forschungszentrum Jülich’s Institute for Plant Sciences and the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems (Fraunhofer ISE). Funding comes from the state of North Rhine-Westphalia through the progres.nrw programme for climate protection and energy transition.

RWE
RWE is leading the way to a modern energy world. With its investment and growth strategy, RWE is contributing significantly to the success of the energy transition and the decarbonisation of the energy system. Around 20,000 employees work for the company in almost 30 countries worldwide. RWE is one of the leading companies in the field of renewable energy. RWE is investing billions of euros in expanding its generation portfolio, in particular in offshore and onshore wind, solar energy and batteries. It is perfectly complemented by its global energy trading business. Thanks to its integrated portfolio of renewables, battery storage and flexible generation, as well as its broad project pipeline of possible new builds, RWE is well positioned to address the growing global demand for electricity, particularly driven by further electrification and artificial intelligence. RWE is decarbonising its business in line with the 1.5-degree reduction pathway and will phase out coal by 2030. RWE will be net zero by 2040. Fully in line with the company’s purpose – Our energy for a sustainable life.

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Sarah Knauber
Press Spokesperson
RWE Renewables Europe & Australia GmbH
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SOURCE: RWE