Indian Delegation Explores Green Hydrogen and AgriPV in Munich
The Indo-German Chamber of Commerce (IGCC) and the Indo-German Energy Forum Support Office (IGEF-SO) organised an Indian business delegation to Germany. The delegation, comprising 18 participants, visited Germany from 12 - 16 June 2023 to focus on Green Hydrogen and Agriphotovoltaics (AgriPV). The delegates visited Intersolar Europe, held as part of the smarter E 2023, in Munich for two days (More information on events at Intersolar). During the fair, the delegates had the opportunity to connect with German exhibitors interested in the Indian market, fostering potential collaborations and idea exchange.
Delegates were also introduced to the integration of agriculture and energy production through visits to two AgriPV installations. One of these installations, operated by "DoppelErnte" ("DoubleHarvest") in Althegnenberg near Munich, uses solar modules on approximately 2.2 hectares of farmland. The south-facing PV modules are mounted on a rotating shaft, allowing them to follow the path of the sun and achieve higher electricity yields. The plant is connected to the grid since April 2020.
The second AgriPV site, established by Krinner in Straßkirchen, featured a 300 kWp system covering 0.5 hectares of land. Bifacial modules are used, and tracked in an east-west direction, elevated around 6 meters above the ground. As a surprise, the delegation was shown one of the largest solar energy projects nearby - a 54 MW photovoltaic plant covering 135 ha, and connected to the grid since 2009. This solar park was renowned as the largest in Bavaria for an extended period.
On the last day of the trip, the delegation visited SFC Energy in Brunnthal, near Munich. SFC Energy specialises in the supply of hydrogen and methanol fuel cells for stationary and mobile hybrid power solutions. The delegation visited the production site and gained insights into the company's product range. In particular, they discovered decentralised hydrogen systems that can replace diesel generators for fire brigades and hydrogen-powered surveillance cameras for construction sites.
The visit provided the participants with a comprehensive understanding of various PV and green hydrogen projects in Europe.