Biodiversity in Solar parks

In June 2021, seven operators of solar parks throughout Germany had their sites examined by biologists regarding the species diversity of the animals and plants living there. The project was carried out by the Bundeverband Neue Energiewirtschaft (bne) in cooperation with GEO magazine. The bne has now published the results of the surveys. "All the parks investigated are stock sites, each with a different species focus, where species-rich habitats have developed for a variety of reasons," says the bne. 

For example, the remoteness of the parks, the few disturbances by humans during ongoing operation of the plants and the absence of pesticides had a positive effect. The large areas of the solar parks could thus represent important habitats for endangered animal and plant species. Birds threatened with extinction have now been detected on the site of a PV plant in Oranienburg, Brandenburg, which was built on an airport formerly used by the military. At the solar park in Eggesin (Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania), which was built on the site of a former artillery barracks, the biologists found bats.

This form of large-scale PV systems is also referred to as "biodiversity photovoltaics". Part of the industry in Germany has already committed itself to actively providing PV plants with measures that contribute to species protection in future. 

Sources: pv magazine, article by Sandra Enkhardt from 10/19/2021; https://www.pv-magazine.de/2021/10/19/vielfaeltige-nachweise-fuer-biodiversitaet-in-solarparks/ (last access on 10/21/2021 at 2:50 p.m.) 

bne-online: https://www.bne-online.de/de/news/detail/studie-photovoltaik-biodiversitaet/ (last access on 10/21/2021 at 3:15 p.m.)