Renewable energy in Germany has grown steadily since 2000 when green energy sources contributed to 6.3% of the national electricity demand. In 2013, the share grew to 25% whereas more recently, in 2022 renewable energy accounted for 46.2% of the German electricity demand, with wind being the most substantial contributor. In order to continue the nationwide growth of the green infrastructure sector to meet the country’s lofty climate change goals, Germany relies on both public and independent utilities that generate power for consumers. This article will discuss five key independent power producers (IPPs) that are responsible for the large-scale production of renewable energy through various assets including wind, solar, hydro, and biomass. All of the IPPs which are included can be found on our list of the largest IPPs in Europe.
Clearvise AG – wind and solar energy IPP based in Wiesbaden
Established in 2010, the Wiesbaden-based firm acts as a developer, investor, and independent energy producer. Clearvise AG boasts a portfolio in excess of 300MW consisting of wind, solar, and biomass projects located across Germany, France, Ireland, and Finland. The firm has been listed since 2011 and is traded on the open market of various German stock exchanges. The German group continues to expand its operations having received approval for a German solar project in June 2023, named the Heiligenfelde project located in Altmark. Once operational, the project will have an installed capacity of 10MW and is expected to achieve grid connection at the beginning of 2024. The project is part of its ALTUS portfolio which also includes a further solar park with an installed capacity of 38MW, named Wolfsgarten. Besides solar, Clearvise has also announced plans to acquire an 18.6MW Weilrod 2 wind project which will be developed by ABO Wind. The deal represents a longstanding partnership between the German duo, having realized over 15 wind projects together across the space of 8 years.
Tion Renewables – wind, solar and battery IPP based in Munich
Tion Renewables have undergone significant expansion since launching its IPO in 2019 with the aim of decarbonizing the power system. The Munich group operates a wind and solar portfolio with projects located across Europe and has priority access to a pipeline of projects with a potential 5GW of installed capacity. Currently, the German group has an installed capacity of 159MW yet hopes to build on this through investment in infrastructure and fellow green energy firms. Tion traces publicly on various German stock exchanges and Xetra. In November 2022, Tion acquires its first battery storage asset located in Bacup, in the northwest of England from renewable energy developer Boom Power. The 40MW site became operational in the first half of 2023 and was valued at £5m. The deal represents a stepping stone to Tion’s ambitious pipeline of 1.5GW of battery storage projects in the coming years.
Baldur Power – solar IPP based in Hamburg
Baldur Power develops, constructs, and operates its own solar and wind projects located across Germany. The Hamburg-based group has developed over 100 large-scale projects across 10 countries with an installed capacity of 2GW, in doing so, the firm has cut annual CO2 emissions by an estimated 1.25 million tonnes. The firm was launched by renewables giant, Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners who use the platform as its dedicated solar developer for German projects as well as overseeing battery and wind projects in the future. Baldur Power relies on funding from the green infrastructure investment group for project development which will allow the firm to act as an independent power producer. The partnership was launched in May 2023 and will likely undergo significant growth over the coming months to establish its position as a leading German IPP.
Ilos Energy – solar, hydrogen, and battery IPP based in Karlsruhe
ILOS aims to become a leading European IPP in the solar industry by realizing its project pipeline of 10GW by 2025 which will see them develop and operate projects in over 7 European countries and the US. ILOS Projects was originally established in 2018 and with OMNES Capital, the duo acquired ILOS Energy in 2020 and the group has undergone rapid growth ever since. In December 2022, the firm raised €500m from green energy infrastructure investor EIG which provided capital for ILOS to develop 2GW of solar and battery projects. The projects will be mainly located in the UK, Ireland Netherlands, Greece, and Italy however, ILOS are also seeking storage and hydrogen assets in other locations. In January 2023, ILOS partnered with Encavis to develop a 300MW solar pipeline in Italy which is nearing completion in the short and medium term.
Encavis AG – wind and solar IPP based in Hamburg
Encavis is one of the leading German developers of renewable energy having realized over 300 solar and wind projects. The group has amassed an installed capacity of 3.4GW thanks to assets dispersed across Europe. The firm became publicly traded in 2017 due to a merger of Capital Stage and CHOROS Clean Energy, Encavis is now listed on the MDAX segment of the German stock exchange. In November 2022, the firm announced a partnership with German bank BayernLB to launch a €600m fund, Encavis Infrastructure Fund 5 which is aimed at investing in wind, solar, battery, and biomass projects. Encavis is responsible for selecting and operating the wind and solar assets whereas the bank BayernLB will handle soliciting and supporting investors. In February 2023, the firm announced the acquisition of a wind project in North Rhine-Westphalia from Energiekontor. The 11.2MW asset will supply enough energy to power 10,000 households and will be fully operational at the end of Q4 in 2023.
Image Source: Nuno Marques via Unsplash (24.06.23)
