ASTRASUN's solar park in Bicske is developing nicely. On March 16. 2021, three half-megawatt solar power plants, of the future 14.5 MW complex, were put into operation. More connections will also be taking place within weeks, and the company is expected to hand over the solar park during the summer.
The plant produces enough clean energy for up to 5,000 households. “Building this solar park in Bicske can seem to be a simple task if you only have superficial knowledge. In fact, we had to deal with the peculiarity of the soil, that there is a small layer of granular sand beneath the thin growing surface, so that the piles holding the scaffolding can no longer hold below a certain depth.” - as Director, dr. Attila Keresztes said - “In the area of the solar power plant, winds above 100 km / h have already been measured, so stability is essential. Fortunately, our solar power plant in Csurgó was built in a similarly challenging area - a recultivated, filled landfill - so we have the experience to bridge the problem with engineering tools.”
The first one-and-a-half-megawatt solar power plant to be turned on will be able to meet the electricity needs of nearly 500 households without a carbon footprint. Due to the gradual desertification of the area and low-nutrient land, the area is not suitable for agricultural production. The land is used for grazing in addition to electricity production with two dozen sheep
maintaining the undergrowth! Soon, they will have a ram, so at the end of summer small lambs can cool down under the solar panel.
The presence of the flock of sheep is not only good because of the natural grazing that is constantly provided, but also because of their nature, the nutrient content of the soil is enriched. This is a real blessing to local biodiversity and can be used to grow crops later. Astrasun plans to expand its agrivoltaic repertoire in the coming years - but this also requires that industry and agriculture in Hungary are not sharply separated, as the cooperation between the two sectors can work wonders.
