According to Reuters, Germany’s renewable energy industry grew by 5% in 2022 to 46% but still remains below the targeted 80% by 2030 which was outlined by the Government. Thus, requiring widespread investment in German renewable projects. The Ruhr region has a population of over 5 million and the largest cities located in this region are Dortmund, Essen, and Duisburg. In this article, we will investigate the main solar players located in this region which will have a key role in the green energy transition. The article is based on our top 50 list of renewable energy investors from Germany.
1) RWE Renewables – Renewable energy giant located in Essen
RWE is an industry leader in the field of renewables and specializes in the development and investment in wind, solar, hydro, hydrogen, and biomass energy. The Essen-based group aims to fulfill its “Growing Green” investment and growth strategy, which when complete will bring the companies installed capacity to 50GW worldwide requiring a €50bn investment to do so. RWE plans to include the Ruhr region in this expansion, with the aim of investing in wind and solar projects with a total combined capacity of 1000MW in this region, underlying the importance of the region to the renewables giant.
2) STEAG GmbH – Solar investor and developer located in Würzburg
STEAG is a global solar energy developer and investor, with over 8000 installations across 40 countries. The Würzburg-based group operates in four key areas: large-scale solar park development, industrial solutions, operation & maintenance, and energy efficiency offerings. In 2022, the group commissioned a 4.35MW solar project in North Rhine-Westphalia in cooperation with regional solar developer Sol.
3) GLS Beteiligungs AG – Wind and solar investor headquartered in Bochum
The Bochum-based group was founded in 1995 and has developed a proven track record in renewable energy investments. GLS Beteiligungs is part of the wider GLS group and has supported numerous wind, solar, and hydro projects through their closed funds. To date, the group has developed up to 20 funds that invest in renewables, social affairs, health, and agriculture. In 2020, GLS acquired a 12.9MW solar park from Sybac Solar. The solar park located in Rhineland-Pfalz brings their total installed capacity to 225MW.
Image Source: American Public Power Association via Unsplash (03.02.2023)
