Does a solar requirement make sense in Brandenburg?

 

Brandenburg, along with Schleswig-Holstein, produces more than twice the amount of electricity it actually needs. Other German states, such as Hesse and Thuringia, have to import their additional electricity from other states or from abroad.

According to the iwd (Information Service of the German Economic Institute), Brandenburg, the leading region in Germany, produced around 34,000 gigawatt hours (GWh) more electricity than it consumed in 2016. Hesse, on the other hand, had to purchase almost 21,000 GWh more in 2017.

At the end of 2018, more than 11,200 megawatts of electricity generation capacity based on solar, wind, biomass, and other renewable energy sources were installed in the state. And this was achieved without any solar mandate ! These plants generated an estimated 18 terawatt-hours of electricity. Wind energy contributed around 12 terawatt-hours, solar energy almost 3 terawatt-hours, and bioenergy more than 3 terawatt-hours. This was theoretically enough to supply all end consumers in Brandenburg with renewable electricity in 2018. According to the Ministry of Agriculture, Environment and Climate Protection (MLUK), Brandenburg thus achieved its stated goal of 100% renewable electricity coverage for end-user energy consumption for the first time, and significantly ahead of schedule.

(Source: Ministry of Agriculture, Environment and Climate Protection (MLUK) )

Renewable energies accounted for 73.2% of gross electricity consumption in Brandenburg in 2016. Although Brandenburg has the second-highest number of wind turbines after Lower Saxony, renewable energies only contribute 32.3% to gross electricity generation. Coal-fired power still accounts for the largest share at 57.3%.

The expansion of renewable energies has become one of the key measures of Brandenburg's climate protection policy.

Solar energy has seen the greatest growth among renewable energy sources in terms of primary energy consumption. In 2019, more than 38,900 photovoltaic systems with a capacity of 3,700 MW were installed in Brandenburg. The goal of Brandenburg's energy strategy, which aimed to generate around 3,500 megawatts using photovoltaic systems by 2030, has already been achieved. With an average annual consumption of 4,000 kilowatt-hours (kWh), this is enough to supply one million private households with electricity for a year.

 

On March 19, 2021, the MLUK published the following press release:

Recommendations for the resource-efficient expansion of photovoltaic systems in open spaces

Following discussions via video conference with representatives of the Brandenburg Association of Towns and Municipalities and interested cities, towns, and municipalities, the Ministry of Agriculture, Environment and Climate Protection has published its recommendations to support municipal decisions regarding large-scale ground-mounted photovoltaic solar installations. This provides cities and municipalities with expert guidance and support for their complex planning tasks related to ground-mounted photovoltaic systems.

“The expansion of solar energy use should continue to advance in Brandenburg, because climate protection through low-emission energy use is an important task for the future. It is crucial that the increased use of solar energy takes place within a regulated framework. This is where the municipalities are called upon. I would like to offer practical guidance on considering the needs of nature, species, and landscape conservation, as well as the structural design of large-scale solar installations,” said Agriculture and Environment Minister Axel Vogel.

Jens Graf, Managing Director of the Brandenburg Association of Towns and Municipalities, added that the representatives of the towns and municipalities decide on the planning approval of large-scale, open-field photovoltaic systems within the framework of urban development planning and thus their local self-government. In light of the current pressure from investors to locate in the area, the Ministry of the Environment has published an initial working guide that focuses particularly on the interests of the environment, nature, and landscape. This guide makes it easier for towns and municipalities to make the necessary balancing decisions.

Photovoltaic open-field solar power plants in Brandenburg

In addition to decentralized solutions for solar installations on roofs and house walls, projects for the installation of photovoltaic systems on open land are increasingly being developed. These systems, some covering several hundred hectares and primarily located on former agricultural land, generate large quantities of solar power and are therefore important components of Brandenburg's energy strategy.

The number of such projects has been increasing rapidly in recent times. After decades in which this form of energy production was not profitable without subsidies, the increased efficiency of the modules, resulting from technological advancements, is now leading to developments in locations that do not require government funding. This is increasing the pressure on, for example, agricultural land that was previously not attractive for this form of energy use. The result is a huge rush for land suitable for solar parks.

However, uncontrolled development also leads to conflicts with other land uses and with nature and landscape conservation. Furthermore, there is a risk of public acceptance issues. Municipalities must therefore address the question of acceptable scale and suitable location, taking into account competing land use interests such as agriculture and nature, species, and landscape conservation.

The recommendations are not legally binding. However, they are intended to serve as a guide for municipalities in the planning and design of solar parks. Due to the planned update of the state's energy strategy in the coming months and the potential need for revisions to these guidelines, they are designated as preliminary.

The document outlines the approval and exclusion criteria for the construction of ground-mounted photovoltaic systems, as well as aspects to be considered in individual case assessments. It also highlights the possibilities and requirements for the system- and operational design of the projects, and points to preferred special design forms for the systems.

The preliminary recommendation for action to support municipal decisions on large-scale photovoltaic open-field solar power plants

This is a recommendation from the Ministry of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Areas (MLUK) and not a legally binding requirement. Laws or regulations of other legal provisions remain unaffected.

In 2020, the state government committed to implementing the Paris Climate Agreement and aims for Brandenburg to achieve climate neutrality in its economy and way of life by 2050 at the latest. To reach this goal, the state government, under the leadership of the Ministry of Agriculture, Environment and Climate Protection (MLUK), is currently developing a climate plan as a binding, comprehensive climate strategy encompassing all sectors, including an action plan. Achieving greenhouse gas neutrality is impossible without a greenhouse gas-free electricity supply based on renewable energies.

Against this background, the state government supports the expansion of photovoltaics, particularly for climate policy reasons and to ensure independent energy supply.

In Brandenburg, in addition to the agreed use of wind energy on 2 percent of the state's area, the Ministry of Agriculture, Environment and Climate Protection (MLUK) also believes that the extensive use of buildings for the installation of photovoltaic systems and the construction of ground-mounted PV systems are necessary.

The state government will therefore likely define a specific expansion target for photovoltaic systems as part of its updated energy strategy and climate plan. To substantiate this target, a potential analysis of usable areas, including open spaces, sealed surfaces, and rooftops, is currently being prepared. Once the results are available and the energy policy measures for expanding solar energy use in Brandenburg have been finalized, the need to further develop these recommendations may arise. Therefore, they should be considered preliminary.

Available land for ground-mounted photovoltaic systems is currently in high demand. This is due to their high land-use efficiency, meaning the higher electricity yield per unit area compared to wind and biomass, their significantly reduced generation costs (currently around 5 to 6 cents per kilowatt-hour), and the resulting exceptional economic viability. Larger solar parks are now economically attractive even without subsidies.

When using open spaces for solar energy, municipalities, as planning authorities, are required to meet the building planning law requirements.

It is undisputed that directing such facilities to suitable areas places high demands on professional planning services, but also on communication by investors, operators and also the representatives of the municipalities.

Municipalities can and must regulate open-field photovoltaic systems. The development of a zoning plan is required for this. Therefore, it is the responsibility of municipalities to decide whether and where large-scale photovoltaic systems can be built.

Increased demand for land necessitates action from municipalities. The Ministry of Agriculture, Environment and Climate Protection (MLUK) notes that many municipalities are currently receiving applications for the planning approval of land for the construction of ground-mounted photovoltaic systems. It is crucial that such expansion is designed to be socially and environmentally compatible. This is essential to maintaining public acceptance of these systems and protecting our environment while ensuring a climate-friendly energy supply.

To prevent undesirable developments of this kind at an early stage, the Ministry of Agriculture, Environment and Climate Protection (MLUK) considers it necessary to anticipate foreseeable land-use competition from the outset and to support proactive orientation towards suitable locations. Furthermore, guidance should be provided on the design of such ground-mounted photovoltaic systems, taking into account aspects of multiple land use, species protection, and landscape impact.

Photovoltaic open-field systems should preferably be used on the following areas:

• Areas with a high degree of sealing (these include, for example, buildings of all kinds, parking lots, roads, paved paths, etc.).
• Areas whose habitat function is significantly impaired (e.g. areas characterized by pollutant emissions, noise or fragmentation).
• Areas with a landscape heavily impacted by technical infrastructure (e.g., landscapes altered by buildings, power lines, or transport routes, and adjacent areas). Areas near high-voltage power lines (380/220 kV) are particularly suitable, as they allow for shorter connection routes for ground-mounted solar energy systems.
• Military or economic (former commercial and industrial) conversion areas, other contaminated/sealed areas, storage areas, spoil heaps, and former open-cast mining areas, insofar as they are not ecologically valuable or legally protected. When using contaminated sites or conversion areas, a risk assessment must be carried out in accordance with the Federal Soil Protection Act (BBodSchG) due to the planned change in land use. Based on this assessment, dismantling or de-sealing of the areas may be necessary. Post-mining sites are also considered suitable.
• Regarding suitable areas, a case-by-case assessment is necessary, as general considerations regarding yield potential and soil quality are not sufficient. For example, low-yielding soils can offer high ecological value, and high-yielding soils can also be suitable for PV-FFA development. A differentiated, case-by-case analysis is required.

Exclusion criteria for the construction of ground-mounted photovoltaic systems

The construction of such facilities in the following protected areas is prohibited, as the project is not compatible with the conservation purpose or cannot be made compatible:

• Nature reserves
• FFH areas
• European bird protection areas
• Landscape conservation areas
• Areas according to § 30 Federal Nature Conservation Act (BNatschG) and area-wide natural monuments

🢂 We will keep you updated on further developments in Brandenburg here!

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