District office develops online portal for citizens and companies / expansion of ground-mounted PV systems should be simplified
“The Alb-Donau district occupies a leading position nationwide in the expansion of renewable energies – especially in photovoltaic systems. In order to further promote the expansion, we have created two options, the solar atlas and the photovoltaic open space guidelines, in which citizens, companies and municipalities can find out about the potential of their roof or open space with just a few clicks. We are also making a contribution to reducing bureaucracy by foregoing complex testing steps for solar parks under certain conditions,” said District Administrator Heiner Scheffold when presenting the projects at a meeting of the district council.
The solar atlas is now available online at www.solaratlas.alb-donau-kreis.de.
The online portal is a simple way for citizens and companies to check to what extent their roof is suitable for installing a solar system and how this compares to electricity yield and economic viability. The Solar Atlas offers a detailed overview of solar radiation in the region, which is based on the latest laser scan data.
Discover the potential of your own roof with just a few clicks
Interested parties only need to enter their address on the website www.solaratlas.alb-donau-kreis.de to receive an individual evaluation immediately. This contains, among other things, information on how much electricity could be generated, how high the investment costs would be and information on how much energy costs and CO2 emissions interested parties could save with a solar system. There is also information on how an electric car or battery storage can be used in this constellation. Those interested can also forward the individual data directly to the independent regional energy agency, which offers a free initial consultation.
In addition, the solar atlas also offers the opportunity to compare solar expansion between individual municipalities. A color scale shows how many rooftop photovoltaics are already available and how high the potential for expansion is. There is also an overview of which municipality or city in the district has so far made the best use of the potential on their roofs.
Less bureaucracy for ground-mounted photovoltaic systems
In order to promote open-space systems in addition to solar expansion on roofs, the Alb-Donau-Kreis district office has developed a new guideline. This is aimed at municipalities and companies and provides guidance as to which areas are good and which are less suitable for solar parks from the perspective of the approval authority. For example, corridors along motorways and streets as well as railway lines and under wind turbines or above parking lots are ideal for an open-space photovoltaic system. Nature reserves or agricultural reservation areas, on the other hand, are rather unsuitable. The photovoltaic open space guidelines are available on the Alb-Donau-Kreis homepage at www.alb-donau-kreis.de/pv-freiflaechenleitlinie.
“In addition, we contribute to speeding up the process and reducing bureaucracy: If the municipalities in the Alb-Donau district create a structured location concept for suitable areas, we do not examine alternatives. “We want to simplify the procedures and significantly accelerate the expansion of renewable energies,” says District Administrator Heiner Scheffold. “The commitment of all those involved in the Alb-Donau district is demonstrated by the fact that, according to the current ranking of the Baden-Württemberg photovoltaic network, we occupy one of the top positions in solar expansion. We can be proud of what we have already achieved on our doorstep for energy security and climate protection.”
