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Recent research in Spain indicates that stricter environmental assessments should be conducted on the environmental impacts of large photovoltaic plants compared to smaller parks. This research, conducted by the Cátedra Steppe Forward research group in collaboration with scientists from the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM), the Forest Science and Technology Center of Catalonia (CTFC), and the French energy giant TotalEnergies, points to a lack of studies regarding the impact of photovoltaic power plants on ecosystem changes.
The study found that medium-sized photovoltaic power plants cause more destruction to natural habitats than larger solar parks. Additionally, the scattered distribution of smaller solar units has a greater cumulative impact on the environment, which makes it more difficult for assessments to easily identify these effects. These findings underscore the importance of more thorough and comprehensive environmental impact evaluations.
The results of this research were published in an article titled *”Photovoltaic Solar Energy Development and Biodiversity Conservation: Current Knowledge and Research Gaps”*, which appeared in the journal *Conservation Letters*. This study analyzed 180 scientific papers published since 2010. Although the installed capacity of photovoltaic plants has increased exponentially during this period, the amount of research on the environmental impacts of these plants has not followed a similar growth. Nevertheless, this research area is expanding within the scientific community.
Specifically, the number of scientific articles on this topic has increased twenty-five-fold between 2010 and 2023. These results have enabled the identification of the primary impacts of photovoltaic power plants on ecosystems and dependent species, while also suggesting future research paths for the transition to more sustainable energy.
The research highlights that although Asia and Europe lead in installed photovoltaic capacity, much of the existing scientific knowledge stems from studies conducted in North America, particularly in desert regions. This may make it challenging to generalize these findings to other environments, such as agricultural lands, which account for much of the world’s photovoltaic capacity.
Moreover, most studies have focused on habitat loss or alteration, while other impacts—such as microclimate changes or the potential of agrovoltaic systems—have rarely been studied. Additionally, 53% of these studies focused on only one photovoltaic power plant, and pre-construction conditions were rarely recorded.
The installation of solar panels affects the environment and biodiversity in diverse ways. In dry regions, during hot seasons, these panels directly influence the microclimate by creating new shaded areas and increasing soil moisture. They can also alter the chemical and physical composition of the ground surface, but more research is needed to fully understand the mechanisms behind these changes.
The impact of solar panel installation on animal behavior and movement patterns is another important consideration. These power plants create physical barriers that disrupt animal movement patterns, potentially leading to behavioral and population changes. On a smaller scale, solar panels create shaded areas and change lighting patterns, which can alter the habitats of small animals like arthropods and small birds. This can cause these creatures to be mistakenly drawn to photovoltaic plants, leading them away from water sources and turning the plants into environmental traps, a phenomenon known as the “lake effect.”
It is essential to prevent negative impacts when installing solar panels, and this starts with proper land-use planning. Additionally, more research is needed to understand the mechanisms behind these effects so that more effective measures can be designed to mitigate them.
Ultimately, more effort is required to assess the cumulative environmental impacts to prevent the greater negative effects resulting from the scattered installation of small solar plants compared to larger, centralized plants.
The beginning of our activity goes back to 2012, since that time, with the expertise in the design, construction and installation of solar power plants, we wanted a superior position in this field.
The experienced and international team of the Nobana Parsian company, with a unique history in the renewable energy industry and with the aim of sustainable development of clean energy, is proud to have established its offices in Iran, Australia and the UAE.
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