Impact of solar farms on biodiversity
8.4.2021
Question for written answer E-001903/2021
to the Commission
Rule 138
Aurélia Beigneux (ID)
In January 2020, the French association of solar energy professionals, Enerplan, launched a study on the environmental impact of solar farms. Three regions which are home to many solar farms are working with the association: Occitanie, the South and Nouvelle-Aquitaine.
The results of the first phase of the study were published on 23 March 2021. While the conclusions are patchy and difficult to interpret, the report highlights the threat solar farms pose to certain species and their habitats, particularly reptiles, which in many cases have moved away from the areas studied. The second phase of the study, broader in scope and offering a more in-depth analysis, is due to last two years. The report stresses that areas of medium or high environmental importance must not be damaged by solar farms, which should if at all possible not be built on green- or brownfield sites.
- 1.Will the Commission take the results of the first study into account?
- 2.How will it help the association’s partners target their research more effectively, in particular as regards species that have not yet been studied?
- 3.Will it undertake to halt the construction of all new solar farms that are likely to damage soils and ecosystems?