Hectares and acres more solar power: Even more projects planned

Created: 09/18/2022, 09:00

By: Timo Aichele

A photovoltaic hill in the future: a 18.4-hectare facility is to be built around this courtyard.

© Alexandra Anderka

More and more farmers in Dorfen are submitting applications for the construction of open-space photovoltaic systems.

Dorfen

– Dorfen is well on the way to becoming the district's photovoltaic Mecca.

More and more farmers want to produce solar power with ground-mounted systems.

The city council had two new motions on the agenda on Wednesday – and each approved them with a large majority.

The largest facility to date in Wies near Grüntegernbach, now covering 18.4 hectares, was also a topic.

In June, the city council had already given the green light for the mega-project south of Lainer See.

The first round of public participation has run for the land use plan.

There were no negative statements from the authorities, but private objectors had expressed concerns about the blinding effect, the recreational value of the landscape and even electromagnetic radiation.

Several city councilors from Landlisten and AfD remain constant critics of this type of electricity generation.

From their ranks came the four dissenting votes against the proposed expansion of the large facility by a further 0.75 hectares.

The planning for the PV system in Wies near Grüntegernbach (above) has grown by 0.75 hectares.

In the south, the area is greened to prevent glare.

© Stadt Dorfen

"We are not fundamentally opposed to open-space photovoltaics," explained Martin Heilmeier (LDW).

That depends on the creditworthiness, i.e. the agricultural quality, of the soil.

Accordingly, the city council voted differently on Wednesday.

Two councilors voted against a 1.2-hectare solar park near Parschenberg on the Schiltern district.

The Agricultural Office (AELF) certifies that this area has below-average productivity.

According to the energy supplier in the area, a decrease in electricity is guaranteed.

The same applies to the application for a three-hectare open-space photovoltaic system in Hochstrass near Grüntegernbach.

Here, the AELF mainly attests a medium credit rating.

This motion to amend the land use plan was accepted with three dissenting votes.

Almost every time the Dorfen councilors had held fundamental energy policy discussions on the occasion of such applications.

This time, too, it didn't go completely without it.

Gerald Forstmaier (GAL) reported that he visited the applicant for the large plant near Wies and spoke to him for a long time.

The farmer thought it through very well and, for example, also checked the often requested installation of an agro-PV system.

Here the collectors are arranged vertically in north-south rows, through which vehicles can drive for management purposes.

"That would be very bad here, because downhill management would be necessary," said Forstmaier about the southern slope.

This, on the other hand, is a “predestined location” because it is very well shielded from the landscape.

The planned greening will further minimize the glare effect.

In addition, the future energy farmer has "exemplary considerations for storing electricity," says Forstmaier.

Electricity collection is not guaranteed here, so there is talk of building an electrolyser that converts the sun's electricity into hydrogen on site and thus stores the energy.

"So I don't understand the negative attitude," said the GAL city council in the direction of the more critical colleagues.

After all, the farming family has the right to strive for a different management of their land.