Farmers’ Willingness to Contribute to the Realization of an Electricity Self-Sufficient Village Using Agrivoltaics. Results of a Survey

With the Green Deal, the energy transition in the EU has gained momentum. Almost half of electricity consumption is now met by renewable energies. However, increasingly decentralized power generation is placing different strains on the centrally structured power grid, reaching its capacity limits. It is there for equestionable whether this will be sustainable. The ideal power supply would be located where the electricity is consumed. In this context, a decentralized energy system is being modeled to create an electricity self-sufficient village using agrivoltaics. Energy sharing among citizens, commercials, municipalities, and farmers creates a self-managed energy community. Farmers play a key role in this dual land use. This paper examines the central research question of farmers’ willingness to contribute to an electricity self-sufficient village using agrivoltaics. The investigation draws on a survey of 215 German farmers. The survey results show a trend toward local, self-sufficient electricity generation supported by local actors. It is interesting to examine the extent to which farmers in the village are motivated and understand their role. Several policy implications can be formulated to support the realization of an electricity self-sufficient village using agrivoltaics. In the first step, electricity self-sufficiency is aimed in the sunny months from March to October, until cross-seasonal storage media are available and ready for series production.