Ecologia Balkanica

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https://doi.uni-plovdiv.bg/handle/store/4
p-ISSN: 1314-0213 / e-ISSN: 1313-9940

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Browsing Ecologia Balkanica by Subject "alternative energy sources"

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    Photovoltaic power plants on agricultural land – are they really green?
    (Plovdiv University Press "Paisii Hilendarski", 2025-01-22) Klimentova-Nikolova, Yanina; Petrova, Slaveya; Nikolov, Bogdan; Popov, Rumen; Lyubomirov, Slavi; Asenov, Stanislav; Kanevski, Hristo; Dakova, Megi; Angelov, Nikola; Kazandzhieva, Svetlozara; Yordanov, Emil
    Photovoltaic systems are a rapidly developing technology that plays a crucial role in the transition to clean energy and the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. However, it is important to consider their potential impacts on the environment and biodiversity, especially when installing them on agricultural land. The aim of this study is to analyze and assess the impact of photovoltaic power plants (PPPs) on soil properties, microclimate and biodiversity. Renewable energy infrastructure can impact biodiversity in different ways during its construction, operation and maintenance, as well as during decommissioning or recommissioning. Potential impacts of PPPs on biodiversity include direct morbidity and mortality of wildlife species, habitat loss and degradation, habitat fragmen-tation and barrier effects, habitat alteration or creation, behavioral changes, physiological changes and displacement, infrared wave impacts, impacts on ecosystem services, indirect impacts, and cumulative impacts at the population level. Constructions with photovoltaic panels can affect soil and microclimate conditions by trapping precipitation and atmospheric deposition, changing surface albedo, increasing ground shading, and influencing wind speed. Significant changes in these parameters have been found in all studied locations, which can lead to changes in species composition, richness and diversity. The results obtained for the main negative impacts of PPPs on agricultural lands on the environment can be used to solve a wide range of management tasks such as control over investment proposals in the field of photovoltaics, etc.
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    Some aspects of the impact of photovoltaic plants on the environment
    (Plovdiv University Press "Paisii Hilendarski", 2025-05-23) Petrova, Slaveya; Nikolov, Bogdan; Popov, Rumen; Lyubomirov, Slavi; Asenov, Stanislav; Kanevski, Hristo; Dakova, Megi; Yordanov, Emil; Kazandzhieva, Svetlozara; Klimentova-Nikolova, Yanina
    Renewable energy sources (RES) play a key role in the global effort to tackle climate change and ensure a sustainable energy future. They are energy sources that are naturally renewable and have a minimal or zero carbon footprint. The main types of renewable energy sources include wind, solar (thermal and photovoltaic), aerothermal, geothermal, hydrothermal, ambient energy, tidal, wave and other ocean energy, hydroelectric power, biomass, landfill gas, sewage treatment plant gas and biogases (EC Directive 2018/2001). Large-scale photovoltaic power plants (PPPs) are being developed at a rapid pace and are set to use thousands or millions of acres of land worldwide. While the energy, economic and environmental impacts of PPPs are generally considered positive, large-scale deployment has negative impacts on non-urban areas. Specific impacts on soils and rural areas (e.g. permanent or temporary soil sealing conditions, complete or partial soil shading, land degradation, habitat fragmentation and loss of traditional agricultural practices) have been identified and require further investigation. The life cycle analysis of PPPs showed that they cannot be accepted as green technologies with zero emissions due to the potential negative effects on the environment. However, they are one of the most promising renewable energy sources, which emphasizes the need to search for sustainable models for their production, construction and operation.