Exploration of a PV system at the Seegraben municipal landfill site, which is currently undergoing aftercare

The implementation of a sustainable energy transition requires increased use of already sealed or anthropogenically influenced areas for the generation of renewable energy. In connection with this, the development of the Climate Neutrality Roadmap 2040 for the city of Leoben (one of 37 pioneering small cities in Austria) revealed that the Seegraben landfill, decommissioned in 1996, in the city of Leoben (Styria, Austria) has significant potential for the construction of a photovoltaic (PV) ground-mounted system due to its topographical location, area size, and infrastructural connectivity. Consequently, the city has set the goal of utilizing this potential to achieve climate neutrality by 2040. The project is the first to develop an integrated multi-benefit approach for urban landfill PV systems: 1. Integrated Methane Oxidation Windows: Systematic integration of biowindows between PV table rows to ensure sufficient CH₄ reduction. 2. Participatory Brownfield Lab: Structured involvement of local residents, stakeholders, and citizens, with gender- and generation-specific evaluations, visualizations, and feedback opportunities. 3. Biodiversity-PV Synergy: Development of a vegetation strategy that combines erosion control, methane oxidation, and biodiversity enhancement. 4. Publicly Accessible Replication Package: All results will be systematically prepared for nationwide reuse in Austria and published on klimaneutrale-stadt.at.