Nature and species conservation
With renewable energies in harmony.
We live in a world of change. In order to ensure the security of our livelihood, adjustments in our energy supply are unavoidable. The expansion of renewable energies is a necessary prerequisite for achieving the climate targets that have been set. We are driven by the idea of a nature-friendly energy production because we are aware of our responsibility towards nature and its species.
Priority of nature and species protection
Europe and Germany have a comprehensive environmental, nature conservation and species protection legislation. In addition, almost every federal state has its own guidelines for species protection and wind power.
Nowadays, wind power projects can only be approved if they have been examined in detail for possible effects on species and, at the same time, suitable measures have been defined by the authorities to ensure that the affected species and their individuals are not endangered.
Qualitas Energy works together with qualified experts, who examine and document the sites and the wide-ranging surroundings in accordance with the officially agreed scope of investigation over the course of a season. Well-founded decisions can be made on the basis of such a reliable data set.
We are very interested in a close cooperation with authorities and associations.
Close and transparent cooperation with the respective nature conservation authorities and associations is a matter of course for us from the start of project development. With this approach, important nature conservation concerns can be considered in our planning from the very beginning.
Suitable measures (e.g. harvesting and mowing shutdowns, deflection areas, construction time regulations, shutdown times for bats, etc.) are coordinated with the authorities and other project participants at an early stage. In doing so, we always keep an eye on the latest technologies and scientific publications.
Our principles
We believe in a sustainable future and want to consciously contribute our part to the preservation of biodiversity in the context of the energy transition – locally and globally.
Transparent cooperation with authorities and experts enables us to find good solutions for the protection of nature and species.
We are convinced that the potential threat to wind-sensitive and endangered species will decrease significantly as a result of increased knowledge and technology.
The best way for us to support your community is individual.
We look forward to hearing from you!
3 questions for Julia
01. How do you ensure that the expansion of renewable energies remains in harmony with the protection of nature and species?
“At Qualitas Energy, it is important to us to expand renewable energies responsibly. To a certain extent, climate protection is always also species protection, as climate change poses a major threat to countless species in Germany and around the world.
However, in order to ensure that the expansion of wind energy does not come at the expense of sensitive local species, species protection is a key consideration in our projects. In our project work, we strive for close and transparent cooperation with nature conservation authorities and expert consultants in order to understand the impact of our wind projects in detail and thus find the best possible solutions for avoidance or mitigation.
If a conflict with species protection laws cannot be ruled out with sufficient certainty, effective species-specific measures are determined in consultation with expert assessors and nature conservation authorities.
In doing so, we take care to apply new scientific findings, legal classifications, and modern technologies to ensure environmentally compatible expansion.”
02. What challenges do you face in your work as an environmental manager, and how do you address them?
“The Wind energy is sometimes viewed critically in terms of species protection. This is because awareness of many species protection issues has only developed in recent decades, meaning that older existing installations were put into operation without any species protection measures.
Additionally, structures such as hedges and rows of trees were often created within wind farms, which made the area more attractive to sensitive species like bats. Today, significant time and resources are invested in the careful surveying of species and the implementation of extensive protection measures, if only to meet approval requirements.
It is crucial to take species protection seriously when planning and operating wind turbines. The focus should be on how we can achieve climate protection through renewable energies while also preserving biodiversity.
Other challenges include the complexity of the topic and the scientific knowledge gaps we still have regarding many species and their threats, which is also reflected in the varying regulations across federal states. However, research, dialogue, and innovative solutions continue to open up new paths for a nature-compatible energy transition.”
03. What can each individual do in everyday life to actively contribute to sustainability and environmental protection?
“Of course, everyone can contribute positively to environmental protection through their decisions and actions, helping to improve society in small ways.
Nevertheless, I see politics as primarily responsible for continuing to create the conditions necessary to achieve our climate goals, including the expansion of renewable energies, and to ensure that our electricity production becomes independent and climate-neutral.
Conclusion: The energy transition can only succeed if we consider climate protection and nature conservation together. Businesses, politics, and society must work together to find solutions.”