Reußenköge/ Klettwitz, 04 October 2022
Solar Park Klettwitz Süd connects to the grid. The second plant at Lusatia Energy Park generates an output of around 80 megawatts. 163.000 solar modules were installed within five months. The Lusatia Energy Park, initiated and still operated by the companies GP JOULE, Terravent Investments and Steinbock EE, is being built on a Terravent-owned high dump of the former Klettwitz opencast mine in the municipality of Schipkau. GP JOULE EPC was the general contractor responsible for planning and constructing the PV plant. In addition, the consortium plans to build a hydrogen electrolysis plant on site together with the corresponding infrastructure.
With its total output of 300 megawatts, the Lusatia Energy Park is one of the largest free-standing photovoltaic plants in Germany and thus an essential building block of the structural change in Lower Lusatia: moving away from the extraction of fossil fuels and towards climate-friendly energies for a future that is fit for the next generation. Compared to the lignite previously extracted in Klettwitz, the park saves around 57,000 tonnes of CO2 annually.
GP JOULE EPC accompanies all construction phases of the Energiepark Lausitz from the initial idea to commissioning. "We plan and select the appropriate components and accompany the entire implementation of the project," explains Meik Georg Gessner, Head of Plant Engineering. As in the first section "Klettwitz North", the prevailing conditions here were also quite special: a backfilled subsoil required a different pile-driving of the substructure than a natural soil. And the existing wind farm with its underground lines, which had to be taken into account when pile driving and laying the route. Meik Gessner is satisfied: "That worked wonderfully here, too. We have a great team and also benefit from our many years of experience. Moreover, we have already worked on similar subsoils nearby, for example in Ganzlin and in Meuro."
Added value with hydrogen
Part of the solar power from the Lusatia Energy Park will be used to produce climate-neutral hydrogen. Energiepark Lausitz will build a hydrogen generation plant and a filling station for cars, trucks and buses. Construction is scheduled to begin in 2023. A network of interested companies has already been established in the region that want to use the "green" gas for their trucks, buses, refuse collection or construction site vehicles. The project is designed in such a way that as demand increases, production can also be increased. Then hydrogen filling stations could also be built.
Benefits of the Lusatia Energy Park for the community and the region
With this project, Lusatia is not only positioning itself as a future-oriented and sustainable region, it is also establishing itself as a climate-neutral industrial location characterised by comparatively low-cost, green electricity and gas generation. The municipality of Schipkau plays a pioneering role in the renewable production and use of hydrogen and thus promotes the establishment of companies and the expansion and safeguarding of jobs for the future. At the same time, new trades also mean new sources of income for the municipality through business taxes and user fees. And everyone benefits from emission-free mobility, be it private, public or commercial.
"The fact that we produce green hydrogen from solar power in Lusatia for powering carbon-dioxide- free transport makes the energy turnaround tangible in the literal sense of the word. And it makes us a less dependent on energy imports. Today, more than ever, we see how important this is. Our goal is to secure value chains locally for municipalities and regions," says Ove Petersen, CEO of the GP JOULE Group.
About GP JOULE
Founded in 2009 based on the belief that a 100% renewable energy supply is feasible, GP JOULE is now a system provider for integrated energy solutions from solar, wind and biomass power as well as being a partner at the supply level for electricity, heat, hydrogen and electric mobility. GP JOULE is thus a pioneering company in sector cross-linkage. Around 500 people work for the medium-sized group of companies in Germany, Europe and North America. GP JOULE is the winner of the Schleswig-Holstein Business Environment Award 2019 and the German Renewables Award 2020.
About Terravent Investments
TERRAVENT Investments has been at home in the energy, real estate and shipping sectors for over 20 years. The focus is on renewable energies, especially large-scale free-standing photovoltaic projects, wind farms and projects related to the production and marketing of green hydrogen. In the wind energy sector alone, Terravent Investments projected approximately one gigawatt of capacity, including the Klettwitz wind farm, which was repowered with 89 megawatts in 2015.
About Steinbock EE
Steinbock EE brings together the right partners for a renewable energy project and accompanies them until the project has been successfully completed - with in-depth industry knowledge, many years of project expertise and a network of investors, developers and service providers that has grown over 20 years.
Press contact
Jürn Kruse
Corporate Communications
GP JOULE Group
j.kruse(at)gp-joule.de
Tel. +49 (0) 4671-6074-213
Mobile +49 (0) 160-1540265
GP JOULE GmbH Cecilienkoog 16 • 25821 Reußenköge • www.gp-joule.de
