Hungarian solar farm powers homes - and wildlife

A solar farm in central Hungary is doing more than producing clean energy. It's creating a new home for wildlife.

Lumen Park in Szolnok is one of the largest solar farms in Hungary. It powers 40 percent of the county and cuts emissions by 180,000 tons a year. That's equal to removing 40,000 cars from the road.

"This is one of the most important locations for us because here we constructed our flagship project, the first sustainable power plant in Hungary," says Gabor Farkosh, managing director of Solar Services KFT.

But clean power isn't the farm's only focus. The site is now home to birds, bats, and butterflies. More than 150 animal shelters dot the grounds. Native grasses and wildflowers attract pollinators.

"What we are proud of is that in terms of progress, there was a species richness increase of 55 percent, and in the number of animal population, there was a 570 percent increase," Farkosh says.

Solar power is a growing force in Hungary. Since 2017, solar has made up half of the country's renewable energy.

"Hungary has plenty of renewable energy sources, especially solar power, and these systems are both efficient and profitable. In fact, solar energy is the most cost-effective way to generate electricity in Hungary," says Ernő Kiss, president of the Hungarian Solar Panel and Solar Collector Association.

Seventy percent of the farm's technology came from China. The entire site was built in under a year.

"We see that the future trend is about new energy, solar energy, wind energy, and e-cars," says Levente Horvath, founding director of the Eurasia Center. "For these kinds of megatrends, China has a very long strategy. China has spent a lot of effort, money and time developing these kinds of future megatrends. And now they are the best in these fields."

Experts say solar growth in Central and Eastern Europe is among the fastest in the region. Hungary and Poland lead the way.

"Solar will definitely continue to grow here. We are attracting more and more energy-intensive factories… and renewable is the most appropriate tool," Farkosh says.

Back in Szolnok, the sun powers more than homes. It supports life. And as Hungary's solar push continues, Lumen Park shows that energy and ecology don't have to be at odds.