<
https://reneweconomy.com.au/conservoltaics-developers-urged-to-think-of-solar-farms-as-artificial-reefs/>
"If “agrivoltaics” became the new solar buzzword in the last year or so, a
group from New South Wales (NSW) wants to make “conservoltaics” the concept of
2024, and help resolve worries about land use change at the same time.
Instead of just running sheep under solar panels, the Community Power Agency
wants developers to also think about farms as artificial reefs, allowing
biodiversity to flourish by offering shelter and habitat for wildlife.
So the group has issued a guide to help developers do just that.
“We know good ground cover reduces heat, reduces dust and improves solar panel
efficiency. There are a lot of ecosystems service that developers can benefit
from,” says guide co-author Heidi McElnea, regional coordinator at Community
Power Agency.
McElnea has been working with ecologist David Carr for the last year on the
issue after seeing a pattern of concerns around land use change in New England,
which lies under the New England Renewable Energy Zone (REZ).
“The more we spoke to people and observed what was happening at different solar
farms, it became clear that land didn’t need to be exclusively used for only
solar or only for farming or only for conservation,” she says.
“People in regional areas do care a lot about the land. If they’re seeing
[solar] as a semi-industrial use of the land, that picture doesn’t coincide
with the countryside as a place for pollinators, for birds, for wildlife, for
agriculture.
“I think there is a real sense of loss if those things can’t be incorporated. I
do hope the guide will help people understand that it’s possible.”
But while McElnea says she’s had positive conversations with developers around
the country about conservoltaics, as they try to improve community relations
and meet changing legislative requirements such as the biodiversity loss
reforms in the
Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act
(EPBC), policy must change.
“We’d like to see the review of the EPBC to contain clear guidance for
developers to achieve biodiversity net gain in their projects, and we’d like to
see the planning laws in each state rewarding developers who are taking
positive steps towards responsible stewardship of the land,” she says.
“At the moment the planning system, particularly in NSW where planning and
assessment frameworks operate on the idea that all biodiversity in a solar farm
will be harmed, doesn’t incentivise developers to consider shared land use.”"
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
