Planning of solar farms benefiting biodiversity and ecosystem services

Swedish solar farms are getting larger in size and number, with an increasing land claim that would not arise from building-applied solar PV. At the same time land use changes are the number one cause of biodiversity loss – one of our biggest sustainability challenges globally and in Sweden. Along with a decrease in biodiversity, nature's supply of ecosystem services decreases, as well as our chances to meet a number of Sweden’s national environmental goals and several SDG’s.

This project has mapped existing larger solar farms and planning practices in Sweden (2021) and the international state of knowledge. Departing from these, design-measures for sustainable solar farms have been proposed. The Eco-Sun project has also elaborated a planning process for such solar farms, based on the mitigation hierarchy, in order to support a swift expansion of solar PV with public benefits.