SolarPower Europe and The Nature Conservancy have released a landmark policy paper, drafted by Metabolic, to support the integration of biodiversity considerations in solar energy projects. This policy paper outlines the concept of nature-inclusive solar parks, proposing a definition and implementation criteria to ensure biodiversity net gain; the key stakeholders involved in and affected by the development of these parks; existing policy schemes that incentivise the development of renewable energy, solar parks, and nature protection; and some crucial policy recommendations to scale up nature-inclusive solar parks across the EU.
These reccomendations include:
Provide clear definitions, development guidance, and robust monitoring and evaluation framework for determining biodiversity contributions
- Create a common, clear and ambitious definition of nature-inclusive solar parks at the EU level.
- Provide solar park development guidance to avoid and minimise biodiversity loss in planning during and after the construction phase, alongside practices to restore, offset, and/or add (net gain) biodiversity.
- Develop and implement a robust monitoring and evaluation system.
Create an enabling environment for nature-inclusive solar park development
- Develop legal requirements that provide guidelines for nature-inclusive solar parks. Regulatory measures could be used to ensure that solar parks contribute to biodiversity and reward developers that include biodiversity enhancement measures in their projects, including through the planning process and renewable energy auctions.
- Provide the necessary knowledge and infrastructure needed by solar developers to create nature-inclusive solar parks.
Enhance integration into local legal frameworks and spatial planning
- Policies on nature-inclusive solar parks must be effectively integrated into local planning frameworks.
- Implement good spatial planning practices by consulting landscape architects and ecologists.
Stimulate further research
- Several important topics which are crucial for comprehensive and sustainable solar energy development are out of scope for this paper but warrant further research.
Rewarding and incentivising nature-inclusive solar through EU policy
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