Landgewinn – Energy system analysis of decarbonization strategies in the agricultural sector Economic-ecological assessment of biochar and an additional agricultural decarbonization technology

Many farms and the German agricultural sector as a whole face the challenge of bringing their energy supply and emissions into line with energy and climate targets in the medium and long term. For years, however, emissions and energy consumption in the agricultural sector have been at a persistently high level. At the same time, the German energy industry is in danger of missing a key sector target: The current expansion of wind power, biogas and photovoltaics is below the targeted expansion corridors and is too low to achieve the planned share of renewable electricity generation of 65 percent of gross electricity consumption by 2030. Both developments jeopardize the ecological objectives of the Energiewende and the goal of climate neutrality.

An integrated perspective on the agricultural and energy sectors can open up new spaces for achieving the goals. This is made possible by innovative technologies and concepts such as agricultural photovoltaics or biochar, or other approaches such as agricultural electromobility, flexibilization of electricity demand or agroforestry systems. Such approaches at the interface between agriculture and the energy sector make it possible to increase the renewable expansion potential, improve agricultural production systems, and reduce energy consumption and emissions.

The aim of the Landgewinn project is to provide the first comprehensive system analytical assessment of the German agricultural sector in interaction with other sectors in the energy system. The project quantifies the decarbonization potential in the agricultural sector and evaluates the coupling effects and interaction between the agricultural, energy and industrial sectors. In addition, relevant new climate protection technologies will be identified and holistically evaluated, which have not yet been sufficiently investigated in practice and in the literature with regard to their decarbonization and application potential in agriculture.

In the project, the IÖW is investigating if and how selected decarbonization technologies at the interface between agriculture and energy are economically and ecologically viable. The analyzes of regional value creation and employment effects, life cycle assessments and the social sciences approach of a stakeholder process are intended to provide orientational knowledge about the technologies for the agricultural and energy industries.

To the project website (German language)