We have completed a year-round environmental survey of the site of our hybrid project: a 150 MW solar PV farm with 150 MW of battery energy storage in Olsztynek municipality, Warmia, Poland. Over 12 months, from June 2025 to May 2026, the project area was studied through every season. The surveys found no environmental contraindications to the project.
Why the survey took a full year
An environmental survey is the foundation of any environmental impact assessment. To be reliable, observations have to cover the full natural cycle: the breeding season, spring and autumn bird migration, and wintering. That is why the site was surveyed every month, not just in a selected season.
Scope of the survey
- 31 bird surveys covering breeding, migration and wintering
- 11 bat surveys, including acoustic monitoring and checks of breeding and winter roosts
- 4 rounds of habitat, plant, fungi and lichen surveys in spring and summer
- amphibians, reptiles, insects and mammals across the project area and a 100-metre buffer around it
Results
The surveys found no environmental contraindications to the project. The area is not significant for birds or bats during migration or wintering. Most of the site is covered by aspen and poplar plantations, which offer poor habitat for many species. Bats were most active along the site boundaries, near old tree-lined avenues and forest edges, which the project will not affect.
Next steps
The survey results form the basis of our Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report, the next stage in the procedure for the environmental decision (decyzja o środowiskowych uwarunkowaniach). The year-round observations were complemented by an in-depth study of birds of prey within 5 km of the project area, which we describe in a separate post.
