The US solar company iSun, Inc. (NASDAQ: ISUN) (“iSun”) and the German agrivoltaics pioneer Next2Sun Mounting Systems GmbH (“Next2Sun”) have been cooperating since the beginning of 2023 to jointly establish Next2Sun's vertical agrivoltaics system in the USA. Construction of the first agrivoltaics plant with Next2Sun system will begin in Vermont in early 2024.

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Picture 1: Wheat harvest at the Next2Sun solar park Donaueschingen-Aasen, Germany (Source: Knoblauch GmbH)

For 50 years, iSun has enabled the important transitions of our world by accelerating the adoption of proven technological innovations that improve our lives. From the clean rooms that enabled silicone chip production, to the telecommunication installation services that connected industries and consumers to the internet, iSun has enabled the most important technological transformations of the last century. While these technologies and our capabilities have changed over the years, our commitment to accelerating the adoption of proven, world-changing technologies has remained steadfast. Today, iSun believes that clean renewable solar energy is the most important investment we can make. We are driven to use our capabilities to accelerate the transition from dirty to clean energy.

Next2Sun is the inventor, innovation and technology leader in vertical bifacial photovoltaics. The basic concept of vertically installed, bifacial solar modules shifts solar power production to times of usually low availability and avoids the overbuilding of agricultural land. For the success of the energy transition, this means fewer conflicts of use, better coverage of electricity demand and lower storage requirements. Next2Sun has developed a wide range of products based on the vertical bifacial system technology and the patented frame system developed for it, and brought them to market maturity, in particular the vertical bifacial agrivoltaics system and the bifacial solar fence. As a result, Next2Sun today offers solutions for a variety of applications for the agricultural, public, commercial and private sectors as a multi-award-winning market and technology leader.

The first common agrivoltaics project of Next2Sun and iSun will be realised in Vermont at the beginning of 2024. On an area of 3.7 acres, 69 vertical rack elements, each with 2 bifacial solar modules, will be installed at a distance of 30 ft. Vegetables such as carrots and beetroot as well as saffron will be planted between the rows.

"The Next2Sun system is an excellent supplement to our product portfolio," says iSun CEO Jeffrey Peck, "Thanks to the vertical mounting of the modules and the adaptability of the installation to the needs of the farmer, the valuable land is almost completely preserved for agriculture."

Next2Sun AG CEO Heiko Hildebrandt is also looking forward to the collaboration: "In iSun, we have found a partner who, like us, wants to accelerate the energy transition. With our vertical bifacial agrivoltaics system, we can make an important contribution to this, especially in areas such as the north-east of the USA. The vertical Next2Sun system always produces electricity when conventional PV systems are producing less."

This project is supported by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action as part of the Renewable Energy Solutions Programme of the German Energy Solutions Initiative.

German Energy Agency (dena)

The German Energy Agency (dena) is a centre of excellence for the applied energy transition and climate protection. dena studies the challenges of building a climate-neutral society and supports the German government in achieving its energy and climate policy objectives. Since its foundation in 2000, dena has worked to develop and implement solutions and bring together national and international partners from politics, industry, the scientific community and all parts of society. dena is a project enterprise and a public company owned by the German federal government. dena’s shareholder is the Federal Republic of Germany. www.dena.de/en

German Energy Solutions Initiative

With the aim of positioning German technologies and know-how worldwide, the German Energy Solutions Initiative of the Federal Ministry of Economics and Climate Action (BMWK) supports suppliers of climate-friendly energy solutions in opening up foreign markets. The focus lies on renewable energies, energy efficiency, smart grids and storage, as well as technologies such as power-to-gas and fuel cells. Aimed in particular at small and medium-sized enterprises, the German Energy Solutions Initiative supports participants through measures to prepare market entry as well as to prospect, develop and secure new markets. www.german-energy-solutions.de/GES/Navigation/EN/Home/home.html

Renewable Energy Solutions Programme (RES Programme)

With the RES programme, the Energy Export Initiative of the Federal Ministry of Economics and Climate Action (BMWK) helps German companies in the renewable energy and energy efficiency sectors enter new markets. Within the framework of the programme, reference plants are installed and marketed with the support of the German Energy Agency (dena). Information and training activities help ensure a sustainable market entry and demonstrate the quality of climate-friendly technologies made in Germany. www.german-energy-solutions.de/GES/Redaktion/EN/Basepages/Services/dena-res.html

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