Should Biodiversity Collapse, We Vanish: Renewable Energy for Boosting Biodiversity

By BayWa r.e. colleagues Dr. Nora Adam , Elena Melkonian , Martin Dennenmoser , and Jochen Hauff .

Biodiversity plays a crucial role in maintaining ecosystem functions that provide essential services for human well-being. Climate change and biodiversity loss are interconnected crises. While climate change contributes significantly to biodiversity loss, biodiversity itself is essential for buffering and adapting to climate change. Solutions that address both crises simultaneously are win-win strategies. This is where renewable energy (RE)* comes into play. But how can RE enhance biodiversity and contribute to overall climate adaptation and resilience?

In renewable energy projects, incorporating biodiversity can yield multiple benefits when done thoughtfully and following sustainable ecological principles. This approach applies across technologies, including wind and solar power plants as well as battery energy storage systems.

One practical measure on project sites involves promoting diverse, locally adapted plant species. Well-chosen plant mixtures can enhance the diversity of various organisms, including insects, birds, and soil microbes. Supporting these species and their interactions translates into valuable services such as pollination, improved soil health, and better water retention. For instance, maintaining a diverse plant cover effectively combats soil erosion, providing natural protection at a low cost. Over the typical 30-35 year duration of a solar project, managing and improving soil can increase land value.

Biodiversity-positive actions, such as preserving, restoring, and creating habitats on project sites, can also lead to new business opportunities. Partnerships with off-takers or landowners can further enhance the benefits. Biodiversity credits represent another potential avenue, adding value to green electricity.

Over the past two decades, the global costs of extreme events attributed to climate change have cost an estimated US $143 billion annually. A recent Guardian survey indicates that most top climate scientists expect global temperatures to rise by at least 2.5°C above preindustrial levels—a dire outcome. Yet financing climate adaptation remains insufficient, let alone adaptation-mitigation dual benefits. Renewable business models that invest in nature ultimately minimize the trade-off between mitigation and adaptation. This holistic approach to the twin crises is no longer a nice-to-have option, but rather a critical step to ensure the long-term existence and resilience of the communities that also host RE projects.?

The theme of the International Day for Biological Diversity 2024 is “Be Part of the Plan.” RE is already part of the climate mitigation plan, and investing in biodiversity takes us further—toward the goals of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.

For more information on our biodiversity commitments, explore these links:

• White Paper: Environmental Impact on Floating-PV
• Solar Honey Project in Mexico
• Best Practice: Solarpark Spitalhoefe (in German)

*Note: In this article, renewable energy (RE) refers to wind and solar power plants, as well as battery energy storage systems.