Köpfinger Wiesen: Solar field with ten hectares

Created: 09/29/2022, 15:20

By: Johannes Jais

The two orange sub-areas in the corridor on the Köpfinger Wiesen are intended for modules, transformers and inverters.

The strips around it are intended for greening.

Between the two fields is a forest area.

© Marktbauamt

Peiting – The two fields on the Köpfingen Wiesen (between the hamlets of Kurzenried and Kreut) are ten hectares in size, where modules for open-space photovoltaics are mounted.

At the end of September, a majority of the councilors approved the plan, as drawn up by the engineering office Sing (Landsberg) for the 60 shareholders of Bürgerwind Pfaffenwinkel.

As with the first decision in March 2022 with the yes to the project, six months later, when the planning was presented, there were again controversial voices about the project with open-space photovoltaics.

Next year, the modules are to be installed on the Köpfingen meadows, where wind turbines are not approved due to species protection (red kite occurrence), radar field of the weather service and monument protection (close to the Wieskirche World Heritage Site).

Electricity generation is scheduled to start at the end of 2023.

Sarah Spengler from Engineering Office Sing reported to the municipal council that there was an appointment with representatives of the lower nature conservation authority at the district office.

The two sub-areas on the Köpfinger Wiesen are around ten hectares in size.

Three hectares of poor meadows are planned as a compensation area.

According to Sarah Spengler, the fields where the modules are erected should be mowed twice a year.

The first cut should take place after June 15th, the second in September.

The distance between the rows of modules is three meters;

the lower edge of the PV systems is 80 centimeters above the ground.

Franz Seidel (citizens' association) asked whether agri-PV systems had also been considered in this project.

Such are realized in the west of Schongau by a farmer and an industrial company.

Spengler said that such an orientation was not planned for the project on the Köpfinger Wiesen.

Agri-PV is the name of a process to use areas for agricultural plant production (photosynthesis) and above or in between for PV electricity production (photovoltaics) at the same time.

controversial

Open-space photovoltaics are becoming more common, said Michael Deibler (CSU) in the discussion.

You also have to think about the future cultivation of these areas.

Thomas Elste (Greens) asked about the use of the floor under the modules.

Limited grazing with sheep is possible.

The grass should be mowed twice a year, it said.

Open-space photovoltaics is a topic throughout the district, said Andreas Barnsteiner (citizens' association).

Anyone who propagates or favors this has "no idea about agriculture and animal husbandry".

For farmers who work the land, this is even "a catastrophe," added Barnsteiner, who sees the right place for PV modules on roofs and parking lots.

Barnsteiner - he is the local chairman of the Bavarian Farmers' Association in Peiting - was not the only one on the committee who was critical of the issue.

There were six dissenting votes in total.

However, the clear majority of the councils - from the ranks of the SPD, citizens' association and Greens were all in favor - approved the plan.

The building law procedure will thus take its course over the next few weeks and months.