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Neustadt invests in a green future: 24 hectares of photovoltaic system planned!
The Neustadt city council approved a 24-hectare photovoltaic system with 28,000 MWh of annual electricity generation.
Neustadt invests in a green future: 24 hectares of photovoltaic system planned!
Something is happening in the area of renewable energies in Neustadt! The city council has passed an important resolution that clears the way for a large open-space photovoltaic system. This is to be built on an area of 24 hectares in the Benzenloch area, and the planning was decided in an almost unanimous vote by the council Rhine Palatinate reported. With an expected annual electricity generation of around 28,000 megawatt hours, the plant could cover around 20 percent of Neustadt's energy needs. A real win for the city!
The planned area is in the transition area between Duttweiler, Geinsheim and Lachen-Speyerdorf. Mayor Stefan Ulrich (CDU) emphasized the importance of the economic viability of this project at the meeting. “The facility will only be built if an economic connection is possible,” says Ulrich. However, some city council members expressed concerns: Clemens Stahler from the CDU abstained from voting because his local council was against the project, while Steffen Christmann (FDP) criticized the fact that arable land was being used for the project's compensation areas.
Open spaces as a future resource
But why are ground-mounted photovoltaic systems (PV-FFA) so important? Loud Federal Environment Agency The space requirement for such systems has been steadily decreasing in recent years. On average, they now only require around 1 hectare per megawatt, compared to 4.1 hectares in 2006. In Germany, 32,000 hectares are already occupied by such systems, 6,290 of which are on arable land. And although these numbers seem high, they only cover a minimal part of the agricultural area in Germany.
In order to achieve the climate goals, the Renewable Energy Sources Act (EEG) 2023 pursues an ambitious goal: 215 gigawatts of photovoltaics are to be installed nationwide by 2030. Assuming that all newly installed photovoltaics will be distributed mainly on open spaces and 50 percent on buildings, an additional 63,000 hectares will be required by 2030.
Potencies and challenges
There are currently great opportunities to exploit the potential of photovoltaics in Germany. According to a study by the Oeko-Institut, up to 287 gigawatts of solar energy could be installed on unused areas, such as parking lots and industrial areas - far exceeding the EEG's targets Öko-Institut shows. Particularly worth mentioning is the successful combination of solar energy production and agricultural use, which is made possible by Agri-PV systems. These innovative approaches not only provide additional yield but also protect plants from bad weather conditions.
The installation of PV-FFA can also have positive effects on biodiversity if they are carried out on less ecologically valuable areas. In addition, open-space systems have lower negative environmental impacts compared to other forms of energy industry such as biogas plants with energy crops, and they are an efficient use of space in the long term.
The permit and other detailed questions about economic viability must of course be clarified in the coming planning phases. However, one thing is certain: the energy future in Neustadt and beyond lies in the sun!