Greens Demand Halt to Forest Solar Projects, Protect Saxony Woodlands

• Saxony’s Greens seek to halt forest-to-solar conversions, pushing rooftop and brownfield PV while preserving the state’s 30 % woodland goal and biodiversity.

Alliance 90/The Greens has drawn a line in the sand—or rather the soil—of Saxony’s forests. In a motion submitted to the state parliament, the party urged lawmakers to block any further permits that convert woodland into ground-mounted photovoltaic (PV) plants, arguing that climate policy must not come at the expense of biodiversity and carbon sinks.

“Solar expansion is crucial, but it belongs on rooftops, parking canopies and brownfields,” the parliamentary group wrote. They singled out state-owned forestry company Sachsenforst, insisting that its land should remain off-limits to project developers. While clearing trees for panels delivers quick megawatts, the Greens contend it undermines the state’s legally endorsed goal of lifting forest coverage to at least 30 percent and replanting sites already scarred by drought, storms and bark beetle infestations.

Saxony’s solar boom shows no signs of cooling. By the end of May 2025, the state hosted 184,394 installations with a combined capacity of 5.1 GW, according to the Federal Network Agency (BNetzA). Surging demand for sites has nudged some investors toward timberland, where large contiguous parcels are easier to secure than in densely populated areas. Supporters say well-designed “forest PV” can coexist with selective thinning and even finance reforestation on degraded plots.

The Greens disagree. They point to studies showing mature forests store far more carbon per hectare than ground arrays offset and warn that fragmenting habitats threatens species already stressed by climate change. Instead, the motion proposes financial incentives and streamlined permitting for canopy systems over car parks, logistics hubs and disused industrial zones—spaces that, together with agricultural agri-PV, could deliver Saxony’s share of Germany’s 215-GW national solar target without felling a single tree.

The party’s stance is likely to ignite debate in the Landtag, where a coalition government balances climate ambition with economic development. Industry groups note that forest-based projects represent only a fraction of the pipeline but caution that blanket bans risk slowing the energy transition. Environmental NGOs, meanwhile, have welcomed the motion as a necessary course correction.

Whether or not the proposal becomes law, it spotlights a broader dilemma for renewable-energy planners: decarbonising the grid while safeguarding the ecosystems that help regulate it. For Saxony, the coming months will test how finely that balance can be struck.