ICaRE4Farms

Increase the share of renewable energies on farms in North-West Europe through the use of solar thermal energy

  • PROGRAMME: Interreg North-West Europe
  • PRIORITY: Low carbon
  • PARTNERSHIP WITH CHAMBERS OF AGRICULTURE: Regional Chamber of agriculture of Pays de la Loire and EARL du Boulay
  • Lead partner: Laval Mayenne Technopole - France
  • DATES : 26/09/2019 - 31/12/2023
  • OVERALL BUDGET: 3 m€
Funding website
Project website

Context

Renewable energy still only represents 17% of the EU’s energy consumption, ICaRE4Farms boost the use of solar thermal energy (STE) in farming in NWE to heat water (which represents 40% of energy consumed).

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Watch this video about the project.

I4F will test next generation STE systems, a patented, reliable and affordable technology. Through this partnership, ICaRE4farms will set up ETF (EcoThermo Fengtech), in 4 agricultural sectors that require hot water to feed livestock (calves) and heat farm buildings (poultry, pigs) and greenhouses (horticulture).

The project focuses on:

  • Transnational cooperation to share good practices and implement the solution taking into account the features of each region and sector
  • Setting up 21 systèmes (4 pilot pilote sites and 17 with voucher support) to improve the economic model and validate the GHG cuts
  • The outcome of the monitoring will be fed into a feasibility assessment tool and a digital model of the STE system, including software for the farmers to manage the system.
  • The project partners will build a transnational network of distributors and installers to roll-out STE in NWE, to lead the market uptake.

Deliverables (work in progress)

Installation and monitoring of 4 pilot sites, in France, UK, Belgium and The Netherlands. Creation of an ICaRE4Farms community, setting up information actions and spreading information at conferences and political events. Organising visits to the pilot sites, training actions to use and maintain the STE systems. Production of reports and academic articles on project results, a market study on STE systems. Developing feasibility models and monitoring and analysis systems. In 5 years, the project will inspire the setting up of 321 STE systems in NEW (27kt of CO2 saved). After 10 years there will be 921 systems (92kt CO2 saved).

Follow the progress of the pilot site in France here.

Watch a video which explains how the solar thermal energy system works here.

ICaRE4Farms is funded (60%) by INTERREG North West Europe.

  • News items related to this project

Webinar Replay

1 August 2023
Webinar Replay On June 13th 2023, we hosted a webinar titled “Solar Thermal Energy in Agriculture – Supporting technology uptake and political incentives”. The webinar highlighted the advantages of next-generation STE systems for…
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Webinar on solar thermal energy

1 August 2023
Webinaire on solar thermal energy On June 13th 2023, we hosted a webinar titled “Solar Thermal Energy in Agriculture – Supporting technology uptake and political incentives”. The webinar highlighted the advantages of next-generation…
Lire la suite
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