With Agrivoltaics Cooperatives towards Electricity Self-Sufficient Villages in Germany?

Abstract This paper aims to examine a new business opportunity for energy cooperatives: Integration of agrivoltaics and energy sharing allows an electricity selfsufficient village. The development of energy cooperatives presents a viable path toward decentralized and sustainable energy systems. Agrivoltaics, which combines agricultural with solar energy production, emerges as a pivotal strategy for establishing electricity self-sufficient villages. Solar Package I law provides the foundational regulatory and financial framework to promote agrivoltaics installations, enhancing both food and electricity production on the same land. Building on this, Solar Package II is crucial for facilitating energy sharing within energy cooperatives, enabling communities to trade and utilize locally produced energy efficiently. A robust business model for electricity self-sufficient villages has been developed, focusing on integrating renewable energy sources, implementing advanced energy storage solutions, and fostering local energy markets. This model emphasizes local power generation, significantly reducing the need for extensive and costly grid infrastructure investments across Germany. By empowering local communities through energy cooperatives and leveraging innovative solutions like agrivoltaics and energy sharing, this approach not only enhances energy security and sustainability but also stimulates local economies and promotes community resilience.