Solar field Gänsdorf Honoured within the framework of the German Landscape Architecture Award 2013

Award Winning

In the context of the German Landscape Architecture Award 2013, the entry "Solarfeld Gänsdorf - ein Wahres Märchen zur Energiewende" (Solar field Gänsdorf - a true fairy tale about the energy turnaround) was honored as one of a total of 3 projects in the category "Special Award Infrastructure and Landscape". Over 135 works were submitted.

Jury's verdict:
Plants for the generation of renewable energies are a highly topical issue with increasing importance in the future. It is obvious that location decisions from an ecological, aesthetic and social point of view require planning control. However, the question of location must be excluded here. At the level of the individual object, the Gänsdorf solar field in Lower Bavaria is an example of how landscape architects can broaden the view of land owners and investors in the sense of multifunctionality of the plant and integration into the settlement structure, reduce the encroachment on nature and landscape functions, design sensible compensatory measures and promote acceptance among the population and politicians.
The solar power plant was built on agricultural land near the farm. The network of field paths is maintained, it structures the individual areas and serves the development and recreation. Field hedges and fruit trees as valuable biotope structures enrich the field, the fruit can be used in the future. The natural balance and landscape are additionally enriched by species-rich meadows within the solar areas, and a public lookout point has been established. From there, a critical but also quite positive perspective on the piece of "energy landscape" can be taken - an alternative to intensive plant cultivation for fuel or biogas production.
The entire plant is away from localities, has distance to neighboring farms and archaeological cultural monuments. However, in planning terms it ultimately remains at the level of the individual project and the land available for it. This can be seen, for example, in the tracing of the production area contours by screening field hedges. Here, the next necessary step would be to think outwards into the entire field, into the landscape as a multifunctional, networked system and a joint determination of sensible further areas for renewable energies by all actors.

The Gäuboden

The Gäuboden or Dungau is a region in Lower Bavaria, which stretches for about 15 kilometers south of the Danube and the Bavarian Forest. It is one of the largest loess areas in southern Germany. The mineral-rich, well-aerated loess layers have allowed very fertile soils to form, on which corn, vegetables and sugar beet are grown in addition to the classic cereals and potatoes. The flat Danube plain is also referred to as "agricultural steppe" due to its structural poverty.

With the approximately 20,000 planted woody plants and the approx. 130 ha of new meadow areas, the Gänsdorf solar field contributes to a significant increase in biodiversity and relief of the previously heavily sprayed and fertilized agricultural areas.

Planning

The basic task of the planning was to find an area of approx. 170 ha in the area of Lower Bavaria/Upper Palatinate for the investor, which would enable an economic generation of solar power in one of the sunniest locations in Germany.
For this purpose, the applicant spent several months analyzing areas which, in addition to the availability of the area,
had to meet the following criteria: immediate proximity to a 110 KV power line, as few property owners as possible, acceptance by the municipality and the population, a large-scale consumer of 50 MW in the immediate vicinity to avoid line losses, and the flattest possible terrain to avoid large-scale visibility. Ultimately, the planning corridor was limited to the area between Straßkirchen and Stephansposching. Although the investor had originally favoured an area of up to 400 ha, it was ultimately possible to achieve the present planning perimeter through protracted land negotiations. In consultation with the specialist authorities, an attempt was made to integrate the Strasskirchen-Stephansposching site into the existing agricultural landscape by means of suitable greening and landscaping measures.

The construction site - Light on Land

The construction project was always carried out under the motto "light on land", which stands for careful handling of the soil as a protected resource. To this end, for example, a meadow was sown over a wide area before the start of construction, which made the soil hard-wearing for construction site operations. For this reason, it was also decided to dispense with several kilometres of construction roads. In addition, the investor developed special equipment for transporting the transformer, which hardly caused any damage to the surface due to its wide tyres.

The solar field

A total of 249,478 modules were installed on 51,160 KRINNER screw foundations and 3,156 tonnes of steel and aluminium. The animal world has meanwhile successfully accepted the surfaces: A kestrel, for example, regularly stops directly at a surveillance camera on the solar field and can thus be easily photographed.

Greening

As greening, mainly 5-row hedges were planted with an admixture of trees of the 2nd growth class (heisters). Along the federal highway 8, groups of trees and shrubs were planted in coordination with the UNB. The areas not planted are used and maintained as extensive grassland. Due to the flat location in the Gaeuboden region, the site does not have a long-distance effect.

Compensation areas

On the compensation areas (areas for measures for the protection, maintenance and development of nature and the landscape), extensively used meadow areas with lakes and wide riparian strips along ditches or a near-natural forest mantle with fringe and shallow water pools were developed on around 5 ha.

The fauna has now successfully accepted the areas: At the so-called stork biotope, which was created in close cooperation with the LBV, regular snipe and little ringed plover can be found.

Public Relations

Through the viewing hill, which has been created in the meantime and expressly welcomed by the UNB, visitors can see for themselves that the greening measures and the biotope network within the solar field are developing positively from year to year.

The goal of the operator, property owner and planner was always to develop the Gänsdorf solar field into a showpiece. This was achieved not least due to the public relations work carried out in advance and the early participation of public bodies.

back to overview

1. Award Winning
2. The Gäuboden
3. Planning
4. The construction site - Light on Land
5. The solar field
6. Greening
7. Compensation areas
8. Public Relations