Climate and Peatland protection through a combination of photovoltaics and peatland rewetting (Peatland-PV)

Background

The rewetting of peatlands is the most effective action to reduce emissions from drained peatlands. However, the previous forms of agricultural utilisation will no longer be possible after rewetting. In addition to the site-adapted utilisation of wet or rewetted peatlands (paludiculture), the construction of photovoltaic systems could also represent a new economically attractive utilisation option. Since the Renewable Energy Sources Act 2023, peatland PV systems have already been eligible for funding as "special solar systems". The German Federal Grid Agency has drawn up more specific requirements for this, which also include minimum water levels.

However, there is still a considerable need for testing and research in order to be able to conclusively assess the impact of the construction of photovoltaic systems on peatland soils to be rewetted for this purpose, particularly with regard to peat conservation or climate balance, water balance and biodiversity. Above all, however, there is also a need to consider the economic incentive function towards more rewetting of previously drained, agriculturally utilised peatlands.

Project goals:

• Analysing the economic and ecological effects of combining peatland rewetting and photovoltaics
• Analysing the practical feasibility and economic viability of peatland photovoltaic systems
• To assess the development of biodiversity and ecohydrology on peatland photovoltaic sites in comparison to various reference scenarios
• Determination of the greenhouse gas balance of rewetted peatlands with photovoltaic systems

Sub-project economics:

It is planned to analyse established and planned peatland PV projects in Germany and to record the special economic features in comparison to ground-mounted photovoltaic systems on mineral substrates. Financial differences in the various process stages will be analysed. In addition to the economic differences, political recommendations for action will also be derived. Furthermore, the stakeholder landscape will be analysed. The perspectives of different stakeholders in the process of a peatland photovoltaic facility are analysed from the idea to implementation.