Renewable energy - Minister does not want solar systems on good farmland
Environment and Energy Minister Bernhard Stengele has spoken out against solar installations on good farmland. "We have enough alternatives here, especially roofs and sealed surfaces, which can be used for photovoltaic (PV) expansion," the Green politician told the German Press Agency in Erfurt. Solar expansion in Thuringia is booming this year - in some regions with comparatively high levels of sunshine, arable land is also attracting the attention of investors.
In his view, only areas where the soil and climate make agriculture possible only to a limited extent - so-called disadvantaged agricultural areas - would be suitable for solar parks or ground-mounted systems for generating electricity, according to Stengele.
"In the future, it will be important to designate high-quality agricultural areas as priority areas for agriculture in regional planning and thus remove them from PV use," said the Minister. The local authorities would then have good opportunities to prohibit this. These are already being used.
Municipalities could use the development plan to prevent investor projects. As an example, he cited the Altenburg city council, which had recently spoken out against solar parks on high-quality farmland. The Thuringian state development program is decisive for regional plans. The priority of agricultural use is also stipulated there. In addition, with the Thuringian Photovoltaic Open Space Ordinance of July 2023, the ministry is focusing on the expansion of solar parks in agriculturally disadvantaged areas.
According to the Ministry of Energy, it is almost impossible to say whether individual solar installations may be located on good farmland in Thuringia. According to a spokesperson, there is no obligation to report this.
According to data from the comparison portal for solar installations "Selfmade Energy", the solar growth rate in Thuringia in the first nine months of the year was 31.4 percent compared to 2022 as a whole. According to the ministry, the 60,000 mark for solar installations in the state was reached in August. The high growth this year was also due to so-called balcony power plants - according to the state energy agency THEGA, almost 3,000 were added in the first half of the year alone.
Open space ordinance
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- Despite the boom in solar energy expansion in Thuringia this year, Environment and Energy Minister Bernhard Stengele argues against installing solar systems on good farmland, believing that there are sufficient alternatives for PV expansion on roofs and sealed surfaces.
- Stengele believes that only areas with limited agriculture potential, known as disadvantaged agricultural areas, should be considered for solar parks and ground-mounted systems, as specified by him.
- The Thuringian state development program prioritizes agricultural use almost exclusively, with municipalities having the opportunity to prohibit solar park projects through their development plans.
- According to Minister Stengele, the recent decision of the Altenburg city council to oppose solar parks on high-quality farmland serves as an example of local authorities utilizing their power to protect agricultural land.
- The German Press Agency reported that Bernhard Stengele, the Environment and Energy Minister, is focusing on expanding solar parks in agriculture-disadvantaged areas with the introduction of the Thuringian Photovoltaic Open Space Ordinance in July 2023.
Source: www.stern.de
