Veon Ecology was commissioned to conduct an inspection on a solar farm site to ensure that all the fencing and mitigation recommendations were correctly implemented.
Solar farms have dramatically increased in number in recent years as Ireland seeks to reduce its reliance on fossil fuel-derived energy. The government has committed to reduce overall greenhouse gas emissions and achieve net-zero emissions by 2050 mainly through renewable energy expansion. This will involve significant land use change and environmental impacts, particularly regarding the amount of land required to achieve these goals.
Solar energy expansion can have implications for biodiversity as proposed sites can undergo significant habitat degradation, fragmentation, and biodiversity loss which is why Veon Ecology plays such a vital role in ensuring that best practice is observed during this phase of the operation and developing mitigation strategies to strive towards biodiversity net gain.
Veon Ecology advise our clients on site layouts where ecological matters need addressing such as avoiding areas of high biodiversity value. Our ecologists assess the management of the land to protect existing habitats and to minimise biodiversity loss, optimising the land for energy production and biodiversity conservation/enhancement.
Solar farms have huge potential to reach energy targets and climate goals whilst mitigating biodiversity loss. With the correct ecological management they can concurrently harvest solar energy and conserve biodiversity.
#veonecology #solar #solarfarm #energy #biodiversity #climatechange #biodiversitynetgain #veon #ecology #habitatsurveys #conservation #greenhousegas #emissions #netzero #siteappraisal