PV pre-development: land, feasibility and acceptance
PV pre-development: we assess land potential, feasibility and grid connection so that you decide early on a robust basis.
In pre-development, the fundamental decision on your PV project is made. We take over project development and land acquisition and check whether a site is suitable. Our focus is on agri-photovoltaics, in particular the EWS Sonnenfeld®, complemented if desired by wind power and battery storage. Pre-development also clarifies whether photovoltaics alone, with storage or together with wind power makes sense, because the answer determines land requirement and grid connection. The earlier exclusion criteria are recognised, the less planning effort is lost.
For a ground-mounted plant, about one to one and a half hectares per megawatt-peak is assumed. Which land is suitable depends mainly on its previous use: intensively used arable land and species-poor areas can even gain ecologically from a near-natural plant, species-rich grassland, bogs or dry, nutrient-poor sites cannot. In protected areas, permissibility depends on the category, the protection purpose and provincial law; they are often unsuitable. Added to this is spatial planning: the provinces regulate by law or ordinance whether and where ground-mounted PV may be zoned, in part with upper limits for contiguous areas, minimum distances and specific rules for agri-PV. Sites near existing infrastructure are often preferred. A site is therefore truly available only after checking zoning, nature conservation and grid connection. With agri-PV, the land remains production land at the same time. DIN SPEC 91434, a technical specification and not a legal standard, provides that agricultural yield after construction be at least two thirds of the reference yield, and calls for light and water availability to be adapted to the crops. This influences row spacing and mounting height already in pre-development.
The feasibility study with layout plan covers, among other things, spatial planning, nature conservation aspects, permittability and grid engineering and delivers robust statements on feasibility. With agri-PV, the agricultural side is added. DIN SPEC 91434 serves as a guide: it distinguishes elevated systems (clearance height from 2.10 metres) from near-ground systems, limits the loss of area for agriculture and requires a use concept. In addition, a load profile analysis optimises use of the grid connection capacity, especially if storage is planned. The grid connection also decides feasibility early: how far away the nearest substation is and what capacity it can accept largely determines effort and schedule.
Acceptance arises when the municipality, agriculture, hunting and nature conservation are involved early. With project presentation and public relations we prepare citizens' meetings, municipal council and press work. The fact that plants can generally be dismantled after the end of their service life and the land used again afterwards is an important argument in conversations on site; scope and subsequent use depend on construction method, decommissioning requirements and site. The preliminary design follows. Anyone who wants to develop photovoltaics and wind power together will find the wind side in pre-development for wind farms.
