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 […]
IEA calls for halt to development of new oil and gas fields
International Energy Agency (IEA) Director Fatih Birol, made an appeal to the international community meeting this year at the COP26 International Climate Change Conference in Glasgow. “Investments in dirty energy could be lost, instead investments should be made in clean energy to make profits,” Birol said. Current efforts to reach the 1.5-degree target are far […]
Vertical Farming with Photovoltaics
To avoid long supply chains in food production there have long been plans to grow vegetables in urban areas. The concept of “vertical farming,” i.e., the cultivation of agricultural products in multi-story buildings (tower greenhouses), conserves resources (reduced CO2 emissions due to shorter transport routes to the end consumer, 95 percent lower water consumption, less […]
Sharply rising prices on the German power exchange for photovoltaics and wind power
Rising energy prices have caused the price of green power on the electricity exchange in Germany to rise significantly in recent months. This means that green power is becoming increasingly valuable. In September 2021, an average of 11.715 cents per kilowatt hour was paid for solar power on the German power exchange, equivalent to about 9.7 […]
Study: Rising demand for photovoltaics from the Russian economy
Specialists from “Smart Energy” have determined the demand for solar power in the Russian economy for the period from October 1, 2010 to September 1, 2021. According to the study, the capacity of built solar power plants more than doubled from 20.2 MW to 45.2 MW within the period 2020 to 2021. Reasons for the […]
Photovoltaic systems to protect against soil erosion
In the aftermath of the flood disaster in parts of Germany, various measures are being discussed to better protect the population from heavy rainfall events in the future. An important sub-measure is protection against soil erosion, especially in hilly areas with a lot of agriculture. This is because the villages at risk are mainly those […]
Huge solar park in Finland in planning
In Palloneva, on a disused peatland 280 km from the Finnish capital Helsinki, the construction of a 500 MW solar plant is planned. The boggy subsoil makes the construction of the plant a special challenge. The project is being carried out by ATP Palloneva Oy and is currently undergoing a review by local authorities. “We […]
Bee and insect protection at school
In Germany and other countries in Central Europe, the number of insects has declined drastically over the past 30 years: About 75% of flying insects have disappeared within the 27-year study period, according to the most relevant study on this topic in the journal PLOS ONE. Researchers see the main cause of the great insect […]
Solar systems on Heidelberg schools
The State Office for Environmental Protection, Trade Inspection and Energy in Baden-Württemberg, the City of Heidelberg’s Building Management and Heidelberg’s public utility company have installed photovoltaic systems and solar thermal systems on the roofs of several Heidelberg schools. The roof, or facade, of several elementary schools, secondary schools, high schools, and vocational schools are being […]
New technology for photovoltaic solar thermal modules
René Siegerink, an automation engineer living in the Netherlands, has developed a new concept for the heating of the future. Siegerink installed a PV system on the roof of his single-family home and modified some of the modules so that they not only produce electricity but also replaced the heating of the house. He designed […]
