Weesow solar park: habitat for skylarks and clean energy!

Weesow solar park: habitat for skylarks and clean energy!

In sparsely populated Brandenburg, about 25 kilometers northeast of Berlin, the Weesow-Wilmersdorf solar park is one of the most impressive open-space solar systems in Germany. With an installed capacity of 187 megawatts and an area of ​​209 hectares, this park is not only a technical work of art, but also an important habitat for endangered animal species. Since it was commissioned by EnBW, an energy company from Baden-Württemberg, at the end of 2020, it has supplied around 50,000 households with green electricity every year and saved around 129,000 tonnes of CO2. The system has now established itself as the largest solar system in Germany that does not require government subsidies Energy experts knowledge.

Particular attention is paid to the skylark, an endangered bird species that is on the Red List. In the solar park, she not only found a suitable habitat, but also enjoys the ecological advantages of the location. A study from the Dresden University of Applied Sciences has shown that the wetter soils created under the solar modules contribute to biodiversity. Due to the extensive land use and sheep grazing, not only plants are flourishing, but also the insect population, apart from the increased density of skylarks, which are found here in three to four times the amount than in conventionally cultivated fields.

An ecological backbone for rare species

These positive effects are not only evident through the skylarks. More than 550 species, including 385 plant species, were detected in an extensive field study carried out by the Federal Association of the New Energy Industry (BNE). A monitoring report from 2023 confirms that the adaptable skylark has increased breeding success in the solar park. The special vegetation and protection from predators offer it ideal conditions to spread.

The Weesow-Wilmersdorf solar park also relies on measures to promote biodiversity. The construction of a wildlife corridor and the creation of stepping stone biotopes offer small animals new habitats. Their design already takes into account ecological standards required by institutions such as NABU. These include, among other things, limiting the area occupied by solar modules to a maximum of 40 percent and the inclusion of hedges and other natural structures to improve the landscape.

Sustainability in focus

But what does the future hold for this pioneer among solar parks? EnBW plans to invest around four billion euros in renewable energies by 2025 and already has two further large-scale photovoltaic projects, each with 150 MW, in the pipeline. The goal: net zero emissions by 2035, an ambitious project that aims to breathe new life into climate protection. A particularly notable aspect: The electricity from the solar park is marketed, which shows that economic success is possible even without feed-in tariffs.

The federal government aims to increase photovoltaic output to 215 gigawatts by 2030. Solar parks could form a green future in the future, especially if the recommendations and guidelines that promote species protection are followed NABU emphasized. The hope remains that large solar parks will not only provide electricity, but also remain a habitat for endangered species.