SolarCarbon

SolarCarbon investigates combining solar power and soil carbon sequestration on cutaway peatlands. Solar power capacity is increasing rapidly and competes for land -area with forestry and agriculture. Countries like Finland have large areas of cutaway peatlands where peat production has ceased yet significant greenhouse gas emissions are still produced owing to the leftover peat under drainage. Combining solar power and rewetting on such sites promises multiple benefits, such as renewable energy, carbon storage and increased biodiversity. The project aims to address the following research gaps: How do solar power and rewetting impact the greenhouse gas emissions and the carbon storage in leftover peat? What is the solar power potential of cutaway peatlands considering the site locations and the overall role of solar power in future energy systems? If cutaway peatlands were to be fully exploited in this manner, how much would it benefit society's decarbonization efforts?

2026

2029