Juhnde is not just an experiment in sustainable energy production--it's also an ecological, economical, social, and agricultural experiment affecting all aspects of the community. The local farmers, for example, use polycultural planting methods to raise multiple species in the same fields, a practice that reduces the need for pesticides and encourages soil preservation.

They also use harvesting and tilling practices aimed at minimizing erosion and nitrate leeching. Plus, the residues and by-products of the fermentation process are collected and used as a fertilizer for the local crop fields, creating a largely closed nutrient cycle.