Eurelectric, the sector association that represents the common interests of the European electricity industry, commissioned WSP to deliver a first-of-a-kind guidebook, providing clear recommendations for sustainable deployment of grid and renewable projects.
The Power Plant Guidebook contains a set of 12 principles for biodiversity and environmental protection and 15 real-life case studies alongside concrete steps for developers to follow when siting, planning, building, operating and decommissioning renewables or grid projects.
Biodiversity is declining at an alarming rate with 1 million species at risk of extinction globally. In Europe, 80% of natural habitats are degraded while climate change quickly becomes the leading driver of biodiversity loss. These dual challenges need to be handled in an integrated way, especially when deploying renewable, grid and storage projects. WWF confirms that renewable-led decarbonization can lower risks to biodiversity by 75% and revert 50% of land loss induced by climate change.
As we transition towards a renewables-dominated electricity system, developers and system operators are striving for a sustainable build-out. While this is being internalized in the corporate strategies, challenges persist in mainstreaming biodiversity integration practices.
This Guidebook provides recommendations to support renewable developers and system operators to tackle these issues and scale up biodiversity integration into renewable energy, across wind, solar, hydro and grid and storage.
Kristian Ruby, Secretary General at Eurelectric, said: "Adopting ecological measures that can accelerate energy infrastructure deployment to meet our climate targets is a win-win for the planet."
Jonny Miller, Technical Lead in Biodiversity Net Gain at WSP, said:Our electricity infrastructure plays a central role in tackling the dual crises of climate change and biodiversity loss. We are proud to have developed the Power Plant Guidebook alongside Eurelectrics, a practical framework for scaling up nature-inclusive design and good operational practices across renewables and grid projects."
Noor Yafai, Europe Director Global Policy and Institutional Partnerships at The Nature Conservancy, said:“We need all hands on deck, including policymakers, investors and corporate actors, to scale up biodiversity-integrated renewable projects."
