Since 2022, extensive new legal regulations have been passed in Germany, among other things with the aim of increasing and accelerating the expansion of ground-mounted solar power. Studies also forecast a significant increase in the amount of land required for ground-mounted photovoltaic systems (ground-mounted PV systems). While PV ground-mounted systems were installed on around 40,000 hectares in Germany at the end of 2023, the area required could be up to seven times as high in 2040.
‘Land is a very important resource that we need to handle carefully and use wisely. In view of the large number of justified utilisation claims and the simultaneously high expansion targets for solar energy, it is important to enter into dialogue with all land users. This is the only way to develop and utilise synergies between the energy transition and nature conservation,’ said BfN President Sabine Riewenherm at the opening of the event.
Land is under pressure: it is not only being used for food and animal feed production and increasingly for energy production. The conservation and promotion of biodiversity also requires land in the landscape. This year, the EU Restoration Regulation was adopted with the aim of restoring damaged ecosystems on at least 20 per cent of EU land by 2030. With increasing competition for land, it is becoming more and more important to harmonise the different types of use in the best possible way, promote sensible dual use and create synergy effects.
Following keynote speeches by Annegret Engelke from the Ministry of Agriculture, Environment and Climate Protection in Brandenburg and Dr Thomas de Witte from the Thünen Institute, possible approaches and solutions were discussed in the subsequent panel discussion chaired by Dr Tanja Busse. Their experiences and positions were exchanged: Annegret Engelke (Brandenburg Ministry of Agriculture, Environment and Climate Protection), Dr Thomas de Witte (Thünen Institute), Ute Ojowski (Schleswig-Holstein Nature Conservation Foundation), Bernhard Strohmayer (Federal Association of the New Energy Economy), Prof Dr Sabine Tischew (Anhalt University of Applied Sciences) and Kathrin Ammermann (Federal Agency for Nature Conservation).
The Federal Agency for Nature Conservation has published a new entry in the ‘Frequently asked questions’ section on its website for the event. Under the title ‘Solar parks and biodiversity’, the BfN provides answers to seven questions. The focus is on how to ensure the environmentally friendly expansion of solar energy and create synergies between the expansion of solar energy and nature conservation.
Further information
- Handout for the 4th expert discussion on nature conservation and renewable energies Frequently asked: Solar parks and biodiversity (in German)
- Frequently asked: Solar parks and biodiversity (in German)
- Project profile ‘SuN-divers: Implementing more biodiversity in solar parks’ (in German)
- Projet-Site SuN-divers: Implementing more biodiversity in solar parks (in English)
