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Solar park at the Herrenwalderhof: area shrinks drastically on 17 hectares!
The solar park in Winterbach is smaller than planned, from 28.5 hectares to 17 hectares, due to reservations of two parties.
Solar park at the Herrenwalderhof: area shrinks drastically on 17 hectares!
In the southwest of Germany, more precisely at Herrenwalderhof in the Winterbach district, the new open space-photovoltaic system will be smaller than originally planned. The 28.5 hectares of arable land that were planned for the construction of the solar modules are now reduced to 17 hectares. This was necessary after two parties had expressed reservations against the plans. This reduction raises questions regarding the optimal use of areas for renewable energies.
The new developments in this photovoltaic system are in the context of the nationwide efforts to expand renewable energies. According to Federal Environment Agency, photovoltaic open space systems (PV-FFA) are built exclusively on special areas, whereby additional open spaces are required compared to PV roofing systems.
area requirement for photovoltaics
The area requirement for PV-FFA has changed in recent years. In 2006, photovoltaic systems still needed 4.1 hectares per megawatts, while this value could be reduced to about 1 hectare per megawatts by 2021. At the end of 2021, around 32,000 hectares of PV-FFA were already installed in Germany, with a large part of these areas used on conversion areas, old military areas and landfills.
of the total installed areas are 36 % on conversion areas, 30 % on arable land and 8 % on edge strips on traffic routes. It is important to note that the use of arable land for these purposes is only 0.07 % of the entire agricultural area of Germany. The current status thus represents a low use of the agricultural areas.
legal requirements and future goals
The Renewable Energy Sergies Act (EEG) of 2023 pursues an ambitious goal: by 2030, the installed capacity of photovoltaics in Germany is to increase to 215 gigawatt. In order to achieve this goal, an additional 63,000 hectares must be used for the PV expansion by then. This means that a total of around 95,000 hectares, which corresponds to around 0.3 % of the total area of Germany, will be required for PV-FFA.
The EEG specifically promotes the construction of PV-FFA on disadvantaged areas and along motorways, which promotes holistic and strategic surface use. Research shows that PV-FFA can increase biodiversity if they are installed on species arms. This could not only contribute to energy generation, but also bring ecological advantages.
Overall, the reduction of the area for the new PV system at the Herrenwalderhof is strong in the context of the ongoing search for the balance between agricultural use and the urgent needs of energy generation. In view of the pressing global challenges such as climate change, the efficiency of the land use for photovoltaic systems is continuously checked and optimized.