Innovative solar energy installations

Agri-PV, floating PV and bog PV are opening up new possibilities for the use of solar energy. Research is being carried out to investigate the opportunities and risks for nature conservation associated with these innovative types of installation.

Alongside the use of rooftop space or traditional ground-mounted solar farms, new, innovative types of system are also becoming increasingly important: agri-PV systems combine agricultural use with electricity generation, floating PV systems are installed on bodies of water, and peatland PV can open up new opportunities for combining climate protection with renewable energy generation. Each of these types of installation has specific interactions with nature and the landscape.

With funding from the BMUKN, the Federal Agency for Nature Conservation (BfN) supports research projects in the field of ‘nature conservation and renewable energies’ that investigate and assess the nature conservation implications of these innovative technologies. The following overview brings together selected projects on specific forms of solar energy use – ranging from the effects on plants and animals (e.g. birds and bats) to issues of landscape compatibility. The findings contribute to the development of criteria and approaches for the environmentally sound use of these technologies.