A new solar park will provide better conditions for plants, amphibians, insects and wildlife. This is the result of a close collaboration between the Danish Society for Nature Conservation and Skovgaard Energy.
The construction of a new solar park on the farm Veiling’s fields in West Jutland near Rammedige not only creates new renewable energy for the green transition. The park also gives biodiversity a big push in the right direction.
DN Lemvig was not enthusiastic about the location in the beautiful moraine landscape. But the technical possibility here, with the same owner of wind turbines and solar cells, to establish an experimental PtX plant to prove that it was technically possible to produce pure green ammonia, moved the reluctance to find solutions for maximum nature within the plant.
Close collaboration between the Danish Society for Nature Conservation and Skovgaard Energy creates results and experiences that will be used in new energy projects.
“Together, we have found solutions that not only preserve our unique nature, but also create better conditions for plants, fish, amphibians, insects and game,” says Chairman John Clausen from the Danish Society for Nature Conservation in Lemvig.
Specifically, a historic and deep lake formed during the Ice Age has been cleaned. No animal-reducing fences are used, so contiguous natural areas are expanded and a variety of Danish plants are found as vegetation in the area. The plant selection around the solar park is based on Danish species and suitable species to support biodiversity.
“We hope that the small and rare great salamander will be able to live and have good conditions in the nature-restored lakes, that the rare and red-listed clover bumblebee will have attractive conditions with the seeded clover, just as lapwings, partridges, larks and the rare quail, which otherwise have a hard time, will have good living conditions like the hares,” says John Clausen, who praises Skovgaard Energy for the collaboration.
Hand in hand
Skovgaard Energy is very pleased with the collaboration with the Danish Society for Nature Conservation.
“This project shows that new renewable energy can go hand in hand with increased biodiversity and nature restoration, which is also important for a green and sustainable earth,” says Uffe Christensen, Project Developer at Skovgaard Energy.
The lessons learned from the project will be used in future projects, including a future climate park in Nees.
“We must ensure that the development of the renewable energy needed for our green transition also creates better nature and local development,” says Uffe Christensen, who emphasizes that we as a society cannot “hide” our need for green energy in our landscape, but as a developer of green energy plants, we are obliged to do our best to integrate them in the best possible way for neighbors, the local area and nature.
Already, several other energy players have shown great interest in taking inspiration from the solutions found in the Veiling project.
Facts and figures
The solar park can produce 50 megawatts.
A dead ice hole lake with an area of approx. 1500 m2 and a depth of 3 meters has been cleaned up and 3 additional lakes are being restored and green corridors are being established to the surrounding natural landscape with other lakes and grasslands.
Fences are replaced with natural plant belts.
Among other things, clover, which is particularly important for the rare and red-listed clover bumblebee, is sown between the solar cells.
More initiatives will follow and at Nr. Lisbjergvej, a parking lot will be established with info signs explaining how nature has been restored.