RWE opens new solar park: 4,500 households supplied with green electricity!

RWE opens new solar park: 4,500 households supplied with green electricity!

The future of energy supply in Cologne and the surrounding area is becoming increasingly concrete. RWE has put a new photovoltaic system into operation on the western edge of the Hambach opencast mine. This system is impressive: with a peak output of 13.9 megawatts and a grid feed-in capacity of 12 megawatts, the system extends over around 12 hectares and consists of more than 22,000 solar modules. What does that mean specifically? The energy generated is enough to power around 4,500 households per year. A step in the right direction when it comes to a sustainable energy future! City and factory reports that the construction of the facility took less than five months and a brand new AI-supported system was used to monitor construction progress, which compares drone footage with construction plans.

RWE manager Katja Wunschel is pleased about the plant's earlier connection to the grid, which certainly shows a good hand in project planning. This new photovoltaic system is the third solar park that RWE has implemented in the Hambach opencast mine, and there are two others already in operation. Together, these three systems achieve an impressive peak output of 47.2 megawatts and supply more than 14,500 households with clean electricity. One of these systems even has an integrated battery storage system with a capacity of 8 megawatt hours, which is used to compensate for load fluctuations in the network. A further step towards a more stable and sustainable energy supply in the Rhenish mining area, where RWE operates a total of eight solar parks and nine wind farms. RWE is also looking for additional areas nationwide for wind, solar and battery storage systems.

Partnerships and local benefits

Particularly noteworthy is RWE's collaboration with the intermunicipal company Neuland Hambach, which provides financial support to neighboring communities such as Elsdorf, Jülich, Kerpen, Merzenich, Niederzier and Titz. Neuland Hambach GmbH plays a central role in the development and coordination of the structural change surrounding the Hambach opencast mine. The communities now have the opportunity to purchase shares in the new photovoltaic system in Niederzier. This is not only an economic advantage, but also a further step towards ecologically responsible energy production.

According to information from RWE, the Neuland solar parks can supply a total of 19,000 households with green energy. In addition to generating electricity, one of the existing systems can also store batteries, which act as a buffer between production and feeding into the grid. This ensures that the power supply is better matched to demand. The future of energy will not only be greener, but also smarter.

Look at the statistics

It is remarkable how the photovoltaics landscape is developing in Germany. The Renewable Energy Statistics Working Group (AGEE-Stat) collects important data in this area with the help of Fraunhofer ISE. The survey shows that the feed-in of solar power and the use of battery storage play a key role in the German energy market. What is particularly exciting is the development of self-consumption of electricity from photovoltaic systems, which is differentiated between different user groups such as households, businesses and industry. This ensures that the possibilities for using solar energy are exploited to the fullest. Fraunhofer ISE has carried out extensive research on this.

In summary, Cologne is on the right track! The continuation of such projects and the meaningful involvement of the communities not only advances the structural change around the Hambach opencast mine, but also makes a significant contribution to the energy transition - and that ultimately gives everyone reason to be happy.