# Environmental Protection in the Planning of Large Solar Power Plants
## 3 SEA as Environmental Protection Instruments in the Planning of Solar Power Plants
### Environmental Impact Assessment
#### 4.2.2 Evaluation of the Impact of Planning Solutions with the Definition of
\begin{table}
\begin{tabular}{c c c c} \hline \hline
**Scale** & **Magnitude** & \multicolumn{2}{c}{**Significant Impact**} \\ \cline{3-4}  & Strong positive impact & \(\pm\)3 & N +3 \\ \cline{2-4} National Level: & Strong positive impact & \(\pm\)2 & N +2 \\ \cline{2-4} N & Strong negative impact & \(\pm\)2 & N \(-\)3 \\ \cline{2-4}  & More severe negative impact & \(\pm\)2 & N \(-\)2 \\ \hline \multirow{4}{*}{Municipal level: G} & Strong positive impact & \(\pm\)3 & M +3 \\ \cline{2-4}  & Strong positive impact & \(\pm\)2 & M +2 \\ \cline{2-4}  & Strong negative impact & \(\pm\)2 & M \(-\)3 \\ \cline{2-4}  & More severe negative impact & \(\pm\)2 & M \(-\)2 \\ \hline \multirow{4}{*}{Local level: L} & Strong positive impact & \(\pm\)3 & L +3 \\ \cline{2-4}  & Strong positive impact & \(\pm\)2 & L +2 \\ \cline{1-1} \cline{2-4}  & Strong negative impact & \(\pm\)2 & L \(-\)3 \\ \cline{1-1} \cline{2-4}  & More severe negative impact & \(\pm\)2 & L \(-\)2 \\ \hline \hline \end{tabular}
\end{table} 
Table 4: Criteria for evaluating the importance of impact [55]. \begin{table}
\begin{tabular}{c c c} \hline \hline
**Magnitude of Impact** & **Lebel** & **Description** \\ \hline Critical & & Overloads the capacity of the space \\ \hline Higher & \(-\)2 & Significantly damages the environment \\ \hline Smaller & \(-\)1 & Minimally damages the environment \\ \hline Neutral & 0 & No impact \\ \hline Positive & +1 & Minor positive changes in \\  & & the environment \\ \hline Favorable & +2 & Favorable changes to environmental \\  & & quality \\ \hline Very favorable & +3 & Changes considerably improve the \\  & & quality of life \\ \hline
**Impact significance** & **Lebel** & **Description** \\ \hline National & & N & Possible national impact \\ \hline Municipal & & M & Possible municipal impact \\ \hline Local & **L** & Possible local impact \\ \hline
**Probability of impact** & **Lebel** & **Description** \\ \hline
100\% & C & Impact certain \\ \hline Over 50\% & Pr & Impact probable \\ \hline Less than 50\% & Po & Impact possible \\ \hline \hline \end{tabular}
\end{table} 
Table 3: Criteria for impact assessment [55]. \begin{table}
\begin{tabular}{c c c} \hline \hline
**No.** & **Planning Solution** \\ \hline
1 & Unit 1 for the production of electricity in an agrisolar power plant (AE) \\ \hline
2 & Unit 2 for the production of electricity in an agrisolar power plant (AE) \\ \hline
3 & Areas for agricultural activity in the zone of the agrisolar power plant (AE) \\ \hline
4 & Area for the construction of a high-voltage substation (SS) \\ \hline \(\cdots\) & \(\cdots\) \\ \hline n & \(\cdots\) \\ \hline \hline \end{tabular}
\end{table} 
Table 5: Presentation of part of the planning solutions included in the impact assessment [55]. The identification of strategically significant impacts and other (minor) possible impacts of individual planning solutions on the environment (Table 8) was approached after the multi-criteria evaluation of planning solutions had been carried out. Identified strategically significant impacts were then ranked by their influence. The rank of influence was determined for each individual planning solution according to which a strategically significant impact (positive and negative) was achieved. The identification of minor possible impacts, which do not have a strategic character, is also presented in this table. Smaller impacts are also important for seeing the whole picture of all the implications that may arise in the area as a consequence of the implementation of the planning propositions. The multi-criteria evaluation process ends with the identification of potential impacts and their corresponding importance; however, the SEA process remains open. The environmental protection measures that must be put in place during project implementation, the guidelines for the EIA/ESIA procedure, and the monitoring of the environmental condition during the installation and operation of the solar power plant are all defined in the SEA, based on the findings of the environmental impact assessment.