Project description: As part of the expansion of renewable energies, offshore wind farms are being built in the North Sea. The electricity will be transmitted to the conurbations. On land, the systems are implemented as underground cables. The route crosses numerous areas with critical or sensitive ground conditions, e.g. soils worthy of protection or moors. Therefore, the determination and assessment of possible environmental impacts due to operational heat emissions from underground extra-high voltage power lines on the objects of protection according to the UVPG is required. Operational heat emissions from underground power cable systems can cause the surrounding soil to heat up, resulting in possible negative environmental impacts.

In total, we are currently providing expert opinions on several hundred kilometres of power lines in various projects throughout Germany.

Our services: Derivation of characteristic soil properties of the natural soils. Evaluation of heat forecast modelling, i.e. a possible heat input with regard to the soil heat balance, the soil water balance, the nutrient balance, the nitrogen dynamics and the soil organic matter. Effects on vegetation and agriculture, soil organisms and metabolic activities. Design of measuring stations to record soil heat and soil moisture of buried power lines and evaluation of the result-se. Soil monitoring according to DIN 19639.

Duration: Since 2019

Industry of the customer: Various transmission system operators