Peatland PV

Peatland PV refers to the simultaneous use of rewetted peatland for climate protection and PV power generation. Since the beginning of 2023, the German government has been promoting the establishment of solar installations on former agricultural drained peatlands in Germany under the Renewable Energy Sources Act (EEG), provided they are permanently rewetted in the process. Wet peatlands are highly effective carbon sinks and prevent the release of greenhouse gases. At the same time, they offer additional areas for the expansion of renewable energy. It is important to only utilize drained and highly degraded areas that are currently used for agriculture for this dual use. Ecologically valuable moors and peat soils within designated protected areas are excluded.

Peatlands consist of carbon-rich peat soils. With only 5 percent share of Germany's total area, nearly 7 percent of greenhouse gas emissions currently originate from drained peat soils (source: Federal Environment Agency 2022). They are mainly found in the northern German lowlands and the Alpine and are currently used for agriculture in 70 percent of cases. To achieve climate neutrality by 2045, peatlands in Germany must be rewetted on a large scale. The simultaneous use of these areas for electricity generation can make rewetting more attractive for farms while alleviating land pressure for PV expansion.

We are working on the implementation and development of peatland photovoltaics in industrial and research projects.

Our R&D Services on the Topic »Peatland PV« Include:

• Strategy Development
• Site-Specific Feasability
• Extended Analyses
• Operation and Maintenance

We share our findings and contribute to a better understanding of the technology as a solution for the rewetting of drained agricultural land by offering workshops for stakeholders and specifying the potentials of the technology depending on the location. We support agricultural and horticultural businesses and associations, landowners, project developers, as well as municipalities and local authorities.

Workshops and knowledge transfer

• Preparation of the state of research and development 
• Presentation, exchange, and discussion, e.g. regarding the legal framework or technical challenges 

GIS-supported potential analysis and site suitability analysis

• Calculation of peatland photovoltaic potential for different potential levels and identification of suitable sites for peatland PV
• Consideration of framework conditions (nationwide, regional)

We examine the feasibility of a peatland PV project on an agricultural, ecological, technical and economic level and prepare detailed analyses to support agricultural and horticultural businesses and associations, project developers as well as municipalities and local authorities in the planning and implementation of specific projects.

Agricultural Analysis

Examination of the compatibility of the management practices of paludiculture with the peatland PV system, taking into account site-specific conditions and, if applicable, a preliminary assessment of the suitability of different paludicultures.

Light Simulation/Conceptual Peatland PV Design

• Light simulations to estimate the light availability for plant growth
• Concept development of site-adapted system designs
• Evaluation and optimization of existing system designs

Technology Assessments

• Technical analysis of potentially suitable system solutions regarding PV efficiency, operational and maintenance aspects, etc.
• Evaluation of the techno-economic feasibility of the designed system for site selection

PV Yield Forecast

• Forecast of the expected PV yield of peatland PV systems
• Consideration of the absolute annual system yield in kWh and system losses

In addition to our feasibility studies, we offer further analyses for the ecological assessment of a peatland PV system and use our expertise in diverse energy systems to optimally integrate a peatland PV system into existing energy systems.

LCA Analyses

• Assessment of peatland PV systems regarding potential environmental risks and ecological competitiveness by carrying out a life cycle analysis 
• Life cycle assessment of material and energy flows as well as potential emissions during the life cycle of the system 

Energy System Integration

• Development of approaches for integrating the peatland PV system into the energy system of the operation, considering energy demand and the integration of battery storage systems
• Development of approaches to increase self-consumption of the generated energy to ensure the highest possible degree of self-sufficiency

Given the few practical examples of peatland PV in Germany, it is all the more important to equip the system with a meaningful monitoring setup to ensure optimal operation management. For this purpose, we develop site- and system-specific concepts for continuous measurements during operation that provide suitable data as a basis for operational management decisions.

Monitoring Concepts

• Development of measurement concepts and design of a sensor layout
• Consideration of parameters to be measured at PV and crop level 
• Creation of a site plan for integrating the setup into the existing system 
• Sensor technology screening: Research into suitable sensor technologies for integration into the monitoring concept