ASGA Call 72: European Solar Grazing and Agrivoltaics with BayWa’s Stephan Schindele

​For this month’s ASGA call, we’re taking a quick look across the Atlantic to hear about some of the latest solar grazing and agrivoltaics developments in Europe. We’ll be joined by Stephan Schindele, Head of Product Management Agri-PV at BayWa r.e., who oversees the exciting agrivoltaics projects they’re running in Europe.

​BayWa has been doing solar grazing for a number of years, with 40 grazing sites at present, as well as a diverse selection of agrivoltaics projects.

​Stephan will give an overview of their solar grazing operations and provide examples of best practices. 

​Like the U.S., regional differences have a major impact on grazing operations and Stephan will give us a sense of the different approaches (as well challenges) to vegetation management across Europe’s varied climates, including water concerns, fire risk abatement, overwintering strategies, and more.

​In addition to the grazing work, Stephan will give us a brief overview of their diverse agrivoltaics projects and discuss some of their experiments with crops like hay (“hayvoltaics”) and with grazing other animals including cows (“cowvoltaics”).

​He’ll also touch on their experiments with using solar modules for rainwater collection and the water economics of it.

​The presentation will be followed by a Q&A and you’ll have an opportunity to ask Stephan questions about what’s happening in Europe with AgriPV. 

​Hosts: Kevin Richardson (ASGA) and Amber Lessard 

​Note: Because we have guests from Europe, our November call will be happening on the 2nd Wednesday, November 8th in the early afternoon @1:00pm ET instead of the usual date and time.