Maximizing Ecosystem Services through Grassland Restoration and Adaptive Management in Solar Parks

Keywords: Renewable energy, photovoltaics (PV), ecological restoration, ecosystem services, management strategies

The drive for renewable energy has resulted in a heightened focus on expanding sustainable energy systems, with solar PV playing a crucial role in this transition. While large-scale solar parks are met with controversy due to potential land-use conflicts and negative effects on the environment, they also present an opportunity for multifunctional land use. To address these concerns, an integrated research project in Austria was launched to develop strategies for integrating solar parks ecologically and maximizing ecosystem services through grassland restoration and adaptive management. Additional data and analysis will be used to improve the ecological integrity and biodiversity of solar parks and explore opportunities for combined agricultural use. By focusing on expanding renewable energy systems, solar PV in particular, and developing strategies for integrating them ecologically, we can address the global climate crisis and species extinction while also creating systems that are beneficial for both the environment and society in the long term.

However, specific and local conditions of solar parks must be considered in implementation and management. A monitoring system was set up to continuously record data on vegetation, local climate, and soil conditions, including measurements of soil water content, solar radiation, vegetation height, and plant species. Preliminary results show distinct effects of panel areas on several environmental factors, with the greatest impact on radiation and air temperature, also impacting the species composition in the area beneath and between panels.