Photo voltaic parks on fields: Is Germany’s agriculture at risk?

Germany’s local weather objectives are anchored in regulation: by 2030, the share of renewable energies within the electrical energy combine is ​​anticipated to extend from the present 52 p.c to 80 p.c. As well as, all electrical energy needs to be generated in a greenhouse gas-neutral method by 2045. As a way to obtain these objectives, photovoltaics (PV) should be expanded – and the federal authorities plans to do that not solely on roofs and already sealed areas, however more and more additionally on agriculturally used land.

What may be financially enticing for farmers attracts critics: productive areas could possibly be misplaced for agriculture and endanger meals safety in Germany.

However is that this concern justified? And are there different options? In our “3 on 1” collection, we requested three specialists for his or her evaluation. All elements of the “3 on 1” format may be discovered right here.

Land conflicts are a sham debate

Tina Mieritz is a advisor for power coverage and local weather safety on the German Nature Conservation Affiliation. She says photo voltaic parks needs to be deliberate in a nature-friendly means, as an alternative of main sham debates about competitors for house.

At present, 60 p.c of agricultural land in Germany is used to develop animal feed. Our meat consumption takes up by far probably the most fields. “Vitality crops” whose biomass is used for power develop on 14 p.c of the fields. These are sometimes intensively farmed maize areas the place biodiversity has no probability. As well as, the electrical energy yield per space from photo voltaic parks is 65 occasions greater than the energetic use of biomass. Solely 22 p.c of arable land is definitely used for direct meals manufacturing.

Photo voltaic parks will maybe take up one p.c of agricultural land sooner or later. The alleged competitors for house is extra of a sham debate. As a substitute, we should always speak about how photo voltaic parks may be directed to areas in intensively used agricultural landscapes in order that ecologically extra helpful areas stay freed from use. It’s time for extra local weather and nature safety within the agricultural sector. Photo voltaic parks could make a contribution to this.

The lack of productive soil should be averted

Theresa Kärtner is a advisor for renewable energies and social coverage on the German Farmers’ Affiliation (DBV). She thinks that if productive soils are cultivated with PV methods, photo voltaic parks are an issue for agriculture.

In precept, you will need to keep away from the lack of productive agricultural land as a lot as attainable as a way to guarantee sustainable vitamin. In Germany, over 1.5 million hectares of agricultural land have been misplaced since reunification, which is nearly the identical as the world of ​​Schleswig-Holstein. Due to this fact, the potential that exists on roofs, parking heaps and different already developed areas should now be used.

From the DBV’s perspective, ground-mounted PV methods on agricultural land are solely justifiable in very low-yield areas. Agri-PV methods signify another: With them, an space can be utilized for meals manufacturing and PV on the similar time. What’s essential for acceptance is that these are primarily neighborhood power initiatives or PV initiatives by native farmers, not initiatives by exterior traders. On this means, participation can happen and worth creation may be maintained in rural areas.

Conflicts over house may be resolved with compromises

Bernhard Strohmayer is head of renewable energies on the Federal Affiliation of the New Vitality Trade. He believes that elevated agri-PV methods may be the answer for agriculturally appropriate photo voltaic enlargement.

In the long run, just one to 1.5 p.c of agricultural land will probably be required for photo voltaic parks as a way to meet Germany’s local weather objectives. This won’t jeopardize meals safety. As well as, land conflicts may be overcome with particular forms of photo voltaic parks: with Agri-PV, the methods are raised excessive or may be swiveled in order that conventional agriculture can proceed to be carried out on the land. With in depth agri-PV, the modules of the ground-mounted methods are additional aside. Such methods are maintained by farmers in such a means that biodiversity develops within the photo voltaic parks.

If it have been regulated by regulation that such areas would proceed to be thought of used for agriculture, robust synergies may come up: photo voltaic enlargement could be appropriate with agriculture and nature. Since species-rich photo voltaic parks don’t require further compensation areas, as are required for development work, this is able to additionally defend land for rising meals.