Sustainable Future Award for the Developer of a Nature-Friendly Solar Park

The new generation solar park concept of SolServices Ltd., which includes the development of Lumen Park Szolnok, has been awarded a shared grand prize in the “Biodiversity Conservation and Restoration” category by the Business Council for Sustainable Development in Hungary (BCSDH).

The BCSDH’s Sustainable Future Award, now in its eighth year, recognises outstanding corporate and leadership achievements in promoting systemic change. This year, SolServices Ltd.’s next-generation solar park concept was honoured as one of the grand prize winners in the “Biodiversity Conservation and Restoration” category. Lumen Park Szolnok, the first nature-friendly solar park of its kind, represents a pioneering approach in both Hungary and globally.

The creation of Lumen Park Szolnok, based on SolServices’ next-generation solar park concept, followed cutting-edge practices designed to protect and enhance biodiversity. These efforts focused on plant- and animal-friendly techniques and on revitalizing soil depleted by decades of agricultural use. In collaboration with experts and professional organizations, SolServices also developed a professional guide for the next-generation solar park concept, which can serve as a blueprint for other developers looking to create environmentally friendly solar parks adapted to local conditions.

In addition to domestic recognition, several international journals have recently highlighted SolServices’ ecological monitoring program, which tracks the long-term changes, enrichment, and expansion of flora and fauna within solar parks. The monitoring program began in 2021 with a baseline survey conducted prior to the park’s construction, and after the park’s commissioning in 2023, it commenced a three-year observation period. The initial findings from the ecological monitoring show significant improvement in the area’s biodiversity index within just one year. Overall plant coverage has increased considerably, and species diversity has enriched, thanks to the planting of a special seed mix. In addition to insects and small mammals, there has been a notable transformation in bird diversity and population. During the baseline

survey, when the area was still arable land, only 33 bird species comprising 411 individuals were observed. In the first year after the solar park became operational, researchers recorded 51 bird species, with nearly 2,700-2,800 individuals.

„This recognition is an important validation for us, clearly demonstrating that we are on the right path and that investing in an environmentally friendly concept was the right decision. Through a series of thorough and complex studies, we have shown that solar parks can be highly effective in protecting wildlife and enhancing species diversity. We are especially proud that our approach can serve as an example for the international sector. We hope that future solar parks will follow the professional guidelines we have developed, as this can provide nearly undisturbed habitats for both plant and animal life for two to three decades, thereby promoting and increasing biodiversity,” – highlighted Dr. Gábor Farkas, Managing Director of SolServices Ltd., in connection with the award.

This is not the first professional recognition for the seven-year-old company. Earlier this year, SolServices Ltd. was featured as a cover story in Applied Technology Review, one of the world’s leading technology magazines, when the American publication’s European edition selected the company as one of its Top 10 Sustainability Solutions Providers in Europe. SolServices earned this recognition primarily for its next-generation, environmentally friendly solar park investment approach, which has now also been recognized by the BCSDH.

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About SolServices Kft.:

SolServices Ltd., a market leader in large-scale solar park development and permitting in Hungary, has been active in the domestic market since 2017. With a holistic approach to solar park development, the company aims to significantly contribute to the climate-friendly transformation of Hungary’s energy sector by creating solar parks that maximize ecological and social value. In its first four years, SolServices developed and permitted 1,000 MW of solar power capacity. Following the company’s first self-funded solar park, Lumen Park Szolnok, with an installed capacity of 138 MW, green energy production has also begun at Lumen Park Szászberek, adding an additional 68 MW capacity.