Whether cars, heating or industrial companies: According to the will of Economics and Climate Protection Minister Robert Habeck (Greens), large parts of the economy should run with green electricity in the future.

This requires far more wind turbines and solar systems than before.

The latter should also be increasingly created on agricultural land.

This provides for a key issues paper published on Thursday by the Ministries of Economics, Agriculture and the Environment.

Julia Loehr

Business correspondent in Berlin.

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It states that so-called "agri-PV systems" should be permitted on all arable land and should be eligible for funding under the Renewable Energy Sources Act (EEG).

These systems are designed in such a way that farmers can grow their crops, vegetables or fruit under the solar modules.

Farmers should continue to receive money from the EU agricultural budget if agricultural use due to electricity generation falls by a maximum of 15 percent.

Peat soils used for agriculture are also to be included in the EEG as a new area category.

They have to be rewetted, which is important for climate protection.

Overall, Habeck's ministry estimates that up to 200 gigawatts of additional photovoltaic capacity can be installed on agricultural land.

It is currently almost 60 gigawatts.

Criticism from the farmers' association

Recently, owners of agricultural land have often been asked by investors whether they want to lease their fields for a solar park.

These offers are lucrative even without government funding.

However, due to the large number of such requests, the municipalities were sometimes reluctant to give permits.

The plan of the three ministries led by the Greens should now make the decision easier.

Not either farming or solar, but both.

The solar offensive on the field is to become part of Habeck's first package of laws, which he intends to launch by Easter.

The German Farmers' Association criticized the plans.

"The proposal does not take sufficient account of the interests of agriculture," said General Secretary Bernhard Krüsken.

A general exclusion of grassland and protected areas would lead to the most productive fields being overdeveloped.