Scientists at the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems, University of Greifswald, Humboldt University of Berlin and other academic institutions of Germany proposed using drained peateries for building solar power stations. According to their estimate, such territories can accommodate photoelectric installations with a total capacity from 134 to 268 GW, which will make it possible to simultaneously reduce the emissions of greenhouse gases, increase the production of renewable energy and create an additional source of income for farmers.
Today about 70% of peateries in Germany were drained for agriculture purposes. After drainage the peat begins to decompose and release the accumulated carbon in the form of greenhouse gases. As a result, about 7% of the country’s greenhouse gas emissions fall on these territories, though peateries proper occupy just 5% of Germany’s area.
It is believed that one of the most effective ways to reduce such emissions is the repeated watering of the drained peateries. However, after the water regime restoration such lands are hardly fit for traditional agriculture.
Researches propose using them for installing solar power stations, so that the recovery of peateries would be justified both environmentally and economically. They estimate that about 334.5 thousand hectares of the drained peateries that had been used in agriculture and having no environmental restrictions are fit for this purpose.
Scientists underline that it can be applied exclusively to drained peateries and those that had lost natural value. Well-preserved swamp ecosystems and designated natural areas under protection must be fully excluded from reclamation. Even with such approach the potential remains high. For example, in the federal state Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania alone there are 85 thousand hectares of the plots fit for use.
In the opinion of researchers, such approach will help Germany to achieve climatic objectives. The country annually plans to restore the water regime on about 50 thousand hectares of the drained peateries, while the construction of solar power plants on such territories will allow the land owners to get compensation for the loss of agricultural incomes and, at the same time, to increase the generation of clean electric energy.
