32-year-old Martin – Farmer of Germany – left Minister Özdemir fascinated by his farm – 2024-08-23 13:05:43

On his farm, he combines the cultivation of lentils and chickens with the production of hydrogen

Martin Stiegler (32) was declared to be Farmer in 2023 of the CERES award in Germany for the cultivation of hazelnuts and the related breeding of chickens. Now he wants to install an Agri-PV system with translucent modules on the hazelnuts and thus combine crop production (hazelnuts), livestock production (chickens) and green electricity production on the same area, the German publication reports Agrarheute.com.

To make reasonable use of the possible excess current during peak periods of solar radiation, it must be converted directly into storable hydrogen. This can then be used to charge either commercial vehicles or converted electric vehicles.

Agriculture Minister Özdemir is inspired

Federal Minister of Agriculture Cem Özdemir viewed the innovative work of the CERES award winner during a farm visit.

Martin Stiegler combines safety for his animals with nutrients for plants. The chickens eat the hazel borer larvae and fertilize the plants, while the trees protect them from predatory birds such as hawks.

The subject aroused the curiosity of the Minister of Agriculture already at the CERES AWARD awarding ceremony: “I have visited many farms, but I have heard little about hazelnuts in agriculture. But the more I learn about hazelnuts and the projects related to them, the more fascinated I am,” admitted Özdemir.

“I am inspired by how you are reinventing things here using photovoltaics, tackling the problem of natural pest control using chickens and developing exciting solutions with hydrogen,” said the minister, for whom this is the first agro-PV system in conjunction with hydrogen. “I’ve never seen anything like it. There are many things that deserve to be used not only here, but also in other places in Germany,” said Özdemir.

Since it can’t transport the current, it better convert it to hydrogen

Martin Stiegler also reveals that initial considerations for a planned agro-PV system failed due to the lack of a feed point. “But giving up is not an option,” said the young farmer, who found a strong partner in the farmers’ association and its network.

But there are not always successes. His plan, an 18-kilometer direct line to Herzogenaurach, the headquarters of the Schäffler Group, which was looking for renewable energy, failed because the legal circumstances were against him.

In this context, Stiegler became aware of the topic of hydrogen. “If the grid can’t absorb the electricity, then we can convert it into hydrogen.“

Stefan Gossens from Schäffler explained how the electrolyzer works, which is now ready for series production in the required size and is being used successfully. What is considered here is the best application for hydrogen production.

Stiegler also managed to inspire the car manufacturer BMW, which is currently testing a small series of 100 hydrogen-powered cars. “Feeding a purely Bavarian product with Bavarian materials is a great project,” says the manufacturer, who brought the respective vehicle specially from Munich.

The grid operator N-ERGIE, which wants to speed up the energy transition and is also working on storing excess electricity in hydrogen. Overall, Cem Özdemir sees this as “extremely promising stuff.”