#Germany #GCL System Integration #Vattenfall #Tützpatz #agro-photovoltaic

GCL's Innovative Solar Solutions for Agro-Photovoltaic Facility in Germany

GCL System Integration (GCL SI) has emerged as a leader in renewable energy by contributing its advanced solar technologies to a groundbreaking agro-photovoltaic project in Germany. Officially opened by Vattenfall, Sweden's largest energy company, the facility in Tützpatz, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, stands as one of the most significant projects of its kind in the nation.

Project Overview

The enormous facility has an impressive installed capacity of 76 MW, sprawling across 93 hectares. It features 146,000 high-efficiency bifacial solar modules with a capacity of 550 watts each, all produced by GCL SI. This ambitious project represents a pivotal advancement in combining solar energy solutions with agricultural land use, effectively demonstrating the potential synergy between solar power generation and crop production.

Notably, the project has been economically viable without relying on government subsidies, thanks to a 10-year Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) established with PASM, a subsidiary of Deutsche Telekom. Under this agreement, PASM will purchase all the electricity generated by the facility, providing a stable financial foundation for the project’s success.

GCL's Cutting-Edge Technology

GCL's contribution extends beyond merely supplying high-performance solar panels. The company has developed comprehensive delivery capabilities tailored specifically to the needs of agro-photovoltaic projects. One of the standout features of GCL’s solar modules is their customizable light transmission coefficient, which ranges from 15 to 40 percent, allowing for a precise balance between energy generation and crop growth.

Their dual-layer glass construction, combined with entirely aluminum frames, has undergone rigorous reliability testing, withstanding 1,000 hours of salt mist exposure and 500 hours of ammonia exposure. This ensures exceptional durability in humid, saline, and agricultural environments. Coupled with mounting structures elevated at 2.8 meters on pre-stressed concrete piles and single-axis trackers, the system contributes to over 80% efficiency in land use optimization.

Intelligent Management Platform

Employing cutting-edge technology, GCL has also built a sophisticated management platform for the agro-photovoltaic facility. By integrating meteorological data, crop growth sensors, and inverter operation analytics, this platform leverages artificial intelligence algorithms to optimize module tilt and irrigation schedules. For instance, in the Zhundong project with a 310 MW capacity, this platform improved alfalfa yields by 20% and decreased irrigation needs by 15%.

Additionally, a pilot upgrade in Jinzhai County, Anhui Province, using motorized adjustable mounts resulted in a 30% increase in camellia seed oil yield and an 8% rise in solar efficiency, highlighting the dual benefits of agricultural production and energy generation.

Commitment to Sustainable Practices

On August 21, GCL SI joined the Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi), committing to devising methods to reduce emissions short-term and achieve net-zero emissions in line with SBT methodologies, underpinning the company’s dedication to sustainability and ESG leadership. Furthermore, GCL’s vertically integrated supply chain offers significant cost advantages, reducing module costs by 8-12% compared to utilizing external suppliers, while collective procurement with industry partners further reduces the costs of other system components by around 5%.

Through its EPC expertise, GCL also shortens project construction timelines by approximately 20%, yielding overall project cost savings of about 10%. These advantages have been substantiated through successful implementations in the Guangxi, Xinjiang, and Anhui provinces, significantly improving generation efficiency and contributing to rural revitalization through localized industrialization.

Future Aspirations

Looking ahead, GCL SI aims to deepen its leadership in agro-photovoltaic technologies. The exploration of perovskite-silicon tandem modules with higher light transmission is geared towards enhancing the synergy between agriculture and solar energy further. Simultaneously, the company is accelerating the rollout of gigawatt-scale agro-photovoltaic projects in resource-rich areas of Southwest and Northwest China. By amalgamating photovoltaics, agriculture, and carbon emissions tracking into scalable models, GCL SI is determined to transform agricultural lands into productive, eco-friendly energy bases, advancing the energy transition and modernizing agriculture.