RWE Expands Partnership with Hambach Region as Municipalities Acquire 49 Percent Stake in Solar Plant

(left to right) Lars Kulik (CTO RWE Power), Markus Meurer (Kerpen), Georg Gelhausen (Merzenich), Katja Wünschel (CEO RWE Renewables Europe & Australia), Andreas Heller (Elsdorf), Boris Linden (NEULAND HAMBACH GmbH), Frank Rombey (Niederzier) (Source: RWE)

(IN BRIEF) RWE and the municipalities surrounding the Hambach opencast mine have deepened their cooperation by enabling NEULAND HAMBACH GmbH to acquire a 49 percent stake in a 14 MWp photovoltaic plant near Niederzier, which has been operational since summer 2025. The partners now jointly operate three solar farms and an 8 MWh battery storage facility at the site, with over 109,000 modules delivering a total capacity of 61 MWp and supplying the equivalent of around 19,000 households with green electricity each year. RWE and local representatives highlight that the project strengthens public acceptance of the energy transition, supports structural change in the region, and provides municipalities with new opportunities to participate in future renewable projects, while RWE continues to expand its broader portfolio of wind and solar assets across the Rhenish region.

(PRESS RELEASE) ESSEN, 4-Feb-2026 — /EuropaWire/ — RWE is strengthening its partnership with local municipalities around the Hambach opencast mine by expanding their joint renewable energy portfolio through a new stake in a photovoltaic facility. Through their shared project company, NEULAND HAMBACH GmbH, the neighbouring municipalities of Elsdorf, Jülich, Kerpen, Merzenich, Niederzier, and Titz have acquired a 49 percent share in a solar plant developed and constructed by RWE. The installation, located near the village of Niederzier, has an output capacity of approximately 14 megawatts peak and has been in operation since the summer of 2025.

With this latest collaboration, the partners now jointly operate three large-scale solar farms and a battery storage facility at the Hambach site. In total, more than 109,000 photovoltaic modules deliver a combined capacity of around 61 MWp, generating enough green electricity to supply the equivalent of about 19,000 households annually. The integrated battery storage system, with a capacity of 8 megawatt hours, allows electricity feed-in to be adjusted more flexibly in response to demand, improving grid stability and efficiency. The municipalities will also have the opportunity, via NEULAND HAMBACH GmbH, to participate in future renewable energy projects developed by RWE in the region.

Katja Wünschel, CEO of RWE Renewables Europe & Australia, emphasized that local involvement in solar projects fosters greater acceptance of the energy transition and reinforces RWE’s long-term commitment to the region. She highlighted that joint investments are creating sustainable local benefits and transforming the energy transition into a shared regional effort. Dr. Lars Kulik, RWE Power board member responsible for the Lignite division, pointed out that integrating solar generation with battery storage enables a responsible and productive use of land at the Hambach opencast mine while supporting structural change in close cooperation with local communities. Frank Rombey, Mayor of Niederzier, noted that revenues from the photovoltaic plant provide the municipality with greater flexibility to shape future land use and make structural transformation more tangible for local residents.

Beyond this project, RWE continues to expand its renewable energy footprint in the Rhenish region, currently operating nine onshore wind farms and nine photovoltaic plants, four of which include integrated battery storage systems, with additional projects under construction or in planning.

RWE
RWE is leading the way to a modern energy world. With its investment and growth strategy, RWE is contributing significantly to the success of the energy transition and the decarbonisation of the energy system. Around 20,000 employees work for the company in almost 30 countries worldwide. RWE is one of the leading companies in the field of renewable energy. RWE is investing billions of euros in expanding its generation portfolio, in particular in offshore and onshore wind, solar energy and batteries. It is perfectly complemented by its global energy trading business. Thanks to its integrated portfolio of renewables, battery storage and flexible generation, as well as its broad project pipeline of possible new builds, RWE is well positioned to address the growing global demand for electricity, particularly driving by further electrification and artificial intelligence. RWE is decarbonising its business in line with the 1.5-degree reduction pathway and will phase out coal by 2030. RWE will be net zero by 2040. Fully in line with the company’s purpose – Our energy for a sustainable life.

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SOURCE: RWE