Germany was a pioneer when it came to installing grid-scale photovoltaic, and among the first countries to reach a total installed solar capacity of 1GW in 2004. Since then, solar energy has been continuing to expand in the country. Examples for this are the three large-scale projects in this article. Currently, Germany‘s solar capacity target of 215GW is the highest in the EU. The country aims for an 80 per cent renewable energy share by 2030.
1) Solar farm Weesow-Willmersdorf in Brandenburg
Developed by EnBW Energie Baden-Württemberg, Germany‘s currently largest operational solar farm is the 187MW solar park Weesow-Willmersdorf. Located in Weesow, Werneuchen in the state of Brandenburg, it takes up 209 hectares of land. The solar plant was commissioned in 2020.
Location: Weesow, Werneuchen
Developer: EnBW Energie Baden-Württemberg
2) Tramm-Göthen solar park in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania
The Tramm-Göthen Solar Park is the newest operational park on this list: Construction of the solar project started in March 2021 and the park was completed in December 2021. It is located in the municipalities of Tramm and Lewitzrand, in Germany‘s federal state Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. The solar park in North Germany has an installed capacity of 172MW, which is enough to power 50,000 homes annually. Luxcara acquired the solar park from developer Belectric, which is a subsidiary of Elevion Group. The Hamburg-based investment firm entered a 10-year power purchase agreement with electricity supplier RWE to supply the electricity that is generated from the solar plant. This energy will be supplied to automobile company Volkswagen.
Location: municipalities of Tramm and Lewitzrand, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania
Owner/Investor: Luxcara
Developer: Belectric
3) Solar plant in Brandenburg as part of the Lausitz park
China-based Trina Solar and German developer GP Joule have recently completed the construction of a 170 MW solar plant on a former coal mine in Klettwitz, which is located in the German state of Brandenburg. The first 90 MW section of the park has already been in operation since May 2022. The project is part of the 300MW Lausitz energy park, which is one of the largest photovoltaic facilities in the country. The rest of the large project is expected to be completed in the near future.
Location: Klettwitz in Schipkau, Brandenburg
Developers: GP Joule, Trina Solar
Bonus) 1GW solar project in development in the east of Germany
The Germany-based coal miner Leag revealed in September 2022 that it wants to expand in renewable energy and therefore plans to build a 1,000MW solar park in the east of Germany. The plant would supply electricity for around 300,000 households and is expected to become operational in early 2026. Leag will fund the majority of the investments for the solar park from its own capital.
Developer: Leag
Owner/Investor: Leag
Image: Chelsea via Unsplash (7.6.2023)
