Solar field Gänsdorf Honored as part of the German Landscape Architecture Award 2013

The Gänsdorf solar field in the municipality of Straßkirchen (district of Deggendorf) covers a total area of approx. 140 ha (1,400,000 m2). Of this, approx. 110 ha are fenced-in module areas, which are divided into 5 large sub-areas. Around 4 ha of the area is designated as a citizen solar field.



With an output of 54 MWp, the Gänsdorf solar field was one of the largest in the world at the time of commissioning in December 2009.

The construction project was always carried out under the motto "light on land", which stands for careful handling of the soil as a protected resource. To this end, for example, a large area of meadow was sown before construction began, which made the soil hard-wearing. It was therefore also decided to dispense with several kilometers of construction roads. In addition, the investor developed special equipment for transporting the transformer, which left hardly any damage to the surface thanks to its wide tires.



As greenery, mainly 5-row hedges were planted with an admixture of 2nd growth class trees (hedges). Groups of hedges and standard trees were planted adjacent to federal highway 8 in consultation with the UNB. The unplanted areas are used and maintained as extensive grassland. Due to the flat location in the Gäuboden, there is no long-distance effect of the plant.



On the compensation areas (areas for measures to protect, maintain and develop nature and the landscape), around 5 hectares of extensively used meadow areas with lakes and wide riparian strips along ditches or a near-natural forest mantle with fringes and shallow water ponds were developed.


The wildlife is now successfully using the areas: A kestrel, for example, regularly stays right by a surveillance camera at the solar field and can thus be photographed easily. At the so-called stork biotope, which was created in close cooperation with the LBV, common snipes and little ringed plovers can regularly be found.



The viewing hill, which has now been created and is expressly welcomed by the UNB, allows visitors to see for themselves that the greening measures at the solar field are developing positively from year to year. The approx. 20,000 trees and shrubs planted and approx. 130 hectares of meadows on the former Gäubodenäckern are already contributing to a significant increase in biodiversity and relieving the pressure on the previously heavily sprayed and fertilized agricultural areas.



The aim of the operator, landowner and planner was always to develop the Gänsdorf solar field into a showcase project. This was achieved not least thanks to the public relations work carried out in advance and the early involvement of public bodies.

Appreciation Special Award Infrastructure and LandscapeGerman Landscape Architecture Award 2013

Jury verdict: Renewable energy plants are a highly topical issue with increasing importance in the future. It is obvious that location decisions from an ecological, aesthetic and social point of view require planning control. However, the question of location must be excluded here. At the level of the individual object, the Gänsdorf solar field in Lower Bavaria is an example of how landscape architects can broaden the view of land owners and investors in the sense of multifunctionality of the plant and integration into the settlement structure, reduce the encroachment on nature and landscape functions, design sensible compensatory measures and promote acceptance among the population and politicians.
The solar power plant was built on agricultural land near the farm. The network of field paths is maintained, it structures the individual areas and serves the development and recreation. Field hedges and fruit trees as valuable biotope structures enrich the field, the fruit can be used in the future.

Natural balance and landscape are within the solar areas additionally enriched by species-rich meadows, a public lookout point is established. From there, a critical but also quite positive perspective on the piece of "energy landscape" can be taken - an alternative to intensive plant cultivation for fuel or biogas production.

The entire plant is away from localities, has distance to neighboring farms and archaeological cultural monuments. However, in planning terms it ultimately remains at the level of the individual project and the land available for it. This can be seen, for example, in the tracing of the production area contours by screening field hedges. Here, the next necessary step would be to think outwards into the entire field, into the landscape as a multifunctional, networked system and a joint determination of sensible further areas for renewable energies by all actors.