Solar parks as element of the energy transformation and environmental protection both have the goal of preserving our natural environment. Nevertheless, the respective requirements must be coordinated. Germany’s ARD Tagesthemen dealt with this issue using the example of the largest solar park in Bavaria, which was built by project developer Anumar and MKG GÖBEL in the bavarian region of Donaumoos.
While conservationists are generally in favour of installing solar parks, the preservation of the Donaumoos marshland poses special challenges. The area has already recorded erosion of about 3 metres in 200 years due to drainage and agricultural use. The new solar park areas are no longer used for agriculture and provide a shelter for deer, partridges and other ground-nesting birds, for example. But there is even more potential: a research project will soon show how the groundwater level can be raised through targeted water management, leading to a better protection of the soil. In this way, the combination of environmentally friendly power generation and simultaneous renaturation could achieve a maximum climate protection effect.