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Solar parks as an opportunity for the Biodiversity
The Bundesverband Neue Energiewirtschaft e.V. (bne) is analysing biodiversity in modern solar parks throughout Germany. The research took place in summer 2024 and has now been published in a comprehensive publication.
Findings of a nationwide field study and recommendations
Solar parks are an important component of our modern energy system. They enable a Safe, quickly realisable and clean energy generation with predictable costs for electricity production over several decades. Well-planned solar parks have another advantage - their value for biodiversity in our agricultural landscape. They are able to positive contribution to environmental protection and nature conservation to perform. The Study "Biodiversity in solar parks - a nationwide field study" makes this value tangible and provides findings that are likely to be of great relevance for the nature conservation assessment of solar parks.
Insight into the study: structure and focus
In the study, biodiversity surveys were carried out and analysed at 29 solar parks across Germany. The focus of the surveys was on solar parks that are located on land formerly used for agriculture which corresponds to the expansion focus both in the EEG tender and in the PPA segment.
In the individual solar parks, eight species groups were recorded several times in 2024 by the study authors and specialised expert offices in over 100 individual surveys:
In particular, the botanical features and structural elements relevant to biodiversity were recorded at all solar parks. Other randomly recorded species supplemented the collected data so that the biologists were able to analyse a total of more than 550 species were able to identify. The study also takes into account current studies and information provided by the operators, for example on the maintenance or construction of the systems. "Biodiversity in solar parks" is an update of the bne biodiversity study from 2019, which at the time significantly shaped the topic of biodiversity in solar parks.
Important facts about biodiversity in solar parks
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Solar parks as an opportunity for biodiversity
Animals discover solar parks as habitats and feeding grounds
findings from the study
Another finding from the study concerns the learning ability of animals such as birds and bats. The increase in flower-rich vegetation produces an attractive food supply in the form of insects in the ground-mounted PV systems, which attracts these species groups.
In the midst of a landscape characterised by agriculture, solar parks form low-disturbance structures and maintain them for decades. The result is a learning effect: the animals learn that they can use this comparatively new environment as a feeding and breeding habitat.
Storage expansion in the fast lane
Dynamic and market-based
The new energy industry is taking a dynamic and market-based approach to storage expansion. Storage systems will stabilise the energy systems of the future in the long term. The decisive factor is a Reducing barriers to grid connections for stand-alone storage systems and the future standard model: solar parks with storage.
Transmission system operators (TSOs) are currently forecasting a storage capacity of 32 gigawatts - a figure that would be more realistic by 2030. The PV and storage industry is already assuming around 100 gigawatt hours with capacity factors of 3 to 4-hour storage systems by 2030.
PV knowledge: Facts and trends in solar park expansion
In our knowledge portal you will find information on current topics and trends in solar parks and battery storage that are currently being discussed in politics and business. For each topic there is a suitable fact sheet to download.
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