Solar parks on wetland – EEG funding excluded
According to the Renewable Energy Sources Act (EEG), solar parks are not eligible for funding if they are built on drained moorland (see Section 37 (1) No. 2 EEG). Only in certain exceptional cases, for example if the construction of the solar installations results in the rewetting of the moorland area, may funding be possible (cf. Section 37 (1) No. 2 letter e)).
Existing data sets on moorland landscapes
However, the term ‘moorland soil’ is not directly defined in the Renewable Energy Sources Act (EEG). Nevertheless, there are a large number of data sets on moors and carbon-rich soils in Germany, ranging from specialist maps of individual federal states to nationwide overviews. One example of this is a backdrop created by the Thünen Institute, which classifies soils into low moor, high moor, moor succession, deep ploughing soils and flat and thickly covered moor soils. Another example is the ‘Aggregated Map of Organic Soils’ created by the Greifswald Moor Centrum in 2021, which provides corresponding geodata. And, of course, the geoportals of the federal states also contain cartographic information on soil types, carbon stocks and bog thickness.
But which framework is relevant for the development of energy projects?
The GAEC II framework
The EEG refers to the requirements of the European Union's Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). The ‘Standards for Good Agricultural and Environmental Condition of Land’ (GAEC) set out various requirements for the management of agricultural land. There are a total of nine GAEC standards, which are laid down in the CAP Conditionality Regulation (GAPKondV).
GAEC II regulates the protection of wetlands adjacent to peatlands (Sections 11–13 GAPKondV). However, the specific details of these standards are not not standardised at federal level. In order to implement the requirements, all federal states are obliged to designate appropriate areas in which it is specified which areas are considered moorland or wetlands.
This GAEC II framework is of crucial importance for project developers. This is because, under the EEG, areas within this framework are generally considered to be moorland and are therefore excluded from EEG funding unless they are rewetted.
The dvlp Web GIS contains precisely this GAEC II framework. This allows users to avoid unpleasant surprises and specifically check whether an area is eligible for funding under the EEG or not.
