Ecological 0 measurement solar farm
In order to preserve and encourage biodiversity on and around our solar parks as much as possible, our solar parks are always landscaped as naturally as possible. Part of the landscape incorporation of the solar farm is the ecological 0 measurement. This means that at the intended location of the solar park, ecologists will carry out a 0-masurement in which biodiversity is measured both above and below ground.
What is an ecological 0 measurement?
With an ecological 0-masurement, the current landscape (including flora, birds and insects) is mapped so that the plans for the solar farm can take this into account. At the intended location of solar park Roodehaan, for example, buzzards were discovered during this measurement and the area also seems suitable for other species of field birds, such as the meadow pipit and yellow wagtail. We think biodiversity at solar parks is incredibly important, which is why we pay a lot of attention to it.
With each solar farm, a 0 measurement
It is important to do a 0 measurement at each solar farm because animal and plant species can vary from site to site. For example, at the proposed site for solar farm Nude, the ecologists discovered several species of frogs in particular that are found in the waterways surrounding the site. By having taken this measurement, these animal species can be taken into account in the plans for the solar farm so that they can live on in peace.
Ecological research
In order to fit our solar parks into the landscape even better in the future, we recently started a large-scale ecological study. Ecologists from the University of Groningen are conducting a study of biodiversity and soil quality in Dutch solar parks in the province of Groningen. Over the next five years, the researchers will monitor soil, vegetation, insects, mammals and birds at fifteen solar parks.