Waldow-Schönwald Solar Park

A solar power system generates as much energy within the first 14 months as was required to manufacture it. This corresponds to 3 to 4 per cent of its total operating life.

The average annual power cut in Germany has fallen steadily in recent years. According to the Federal Network Agency, the figure was almost 22 minutes in 2006. By 2021, it had fallen to just 13 minutes.

At the same time, the expansion of renewable energy has progressed. In 2006, renewable energy accounted for 12.5 per cent of electricity generation. By 2021, this figure had risen to 46 per cent.

The extent to which a surface reflects or absorbs incident light is indicated by what is known as the albedo value. This value can be used to determine how much a surface – and consequently the air in its vicinity – heats up.

Solar panels have an albedo value of around 20. This means that 20 per cent of the incident sunlight is reflected. This has no negative impact on the microclimate. For arable land and meadows, this value is usually even lower, meaning they absorb more heat.

The shade cast by the panels helps retain more moisture in the soil and, on hot days, keeps the green space significantly cooler due to evaporative cooling.
 

Vehicles powered by biofuels are not very efficient in terms of energy input and land use. A diesel engine (5.5 litres of biodiesel per 100 km) can travel around 30,000 kilometres on the annual yield from a 1-hectare rapeseed field. With the annual yield from a new solar PV system installed on the same area, an electric car (16 kWh per 100 km) can travel up to 6 million kilometres. Source: Fraunhofer ISE.