At the end of 2023, 25 gigawatts of ground-mounted photovoltaic systems were installed across Germany on a total area of almost 40,000 hectares. This corresponds to a share of 0.1 % of the federal area. Half of the nationwide installed capacity of solar parks is located in Bavaria and Brandenburg. Around 60 % of the area used is on former farmland or conversion areas from e.g. commercial or military use.
The ZSW is evaluating the expansion of solar parks as part of an accompanying scientific project for the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection. Further figures on the land use of solar parks can be found in the following paper: