RWE Initiates Green Electricity Advancement with Hambach Lignite Opencast Solar Project

RWE Initiates Green Electricity Advancement with Hambach Lignite Opencast Solar Project

(IN BRIEF) RWE is making substantial progress in green electricity production with a new venture at the Hambach lignite opencast mine. They’re constructing a photovoltaic plant integrated with a battery storage system. About 22,000 solar modules will be installed, capable of powering over 3,100 households. The initiative, named “RWE Neuland Solar Farm,” is a collaboration with Neuland Hambach GmbH, a significant player in the region’s structural transformation. The farm will have a capacity of 8.4 megawatts (MWac) and uses innovative bifacial modules for enhanced efficiency. The battery storage system will ensure smooth energy supply. This move aligns with RWE’s commitment to sustainable energy solutions.

(PRESS RELEASE) COLOGNE/ ESSEN, 3-Jul-2023 — /EuropaWire/ — RWE AG (ETR: RWE), a German multinational energy company, is forging ahead with its green electricity initiatives in the Rhenish mining district. An ambitious project is now underway at the Hambach lignite opencast mine – the construction of a cutting-edge photovoltaics plant integrated with a battery storage system.

With the installation of approximately 22,000 solar modules, the Hambach site is set to transform into a green energy hub capable of powering over 3,100 households with clean electricity. In a strategic partnership with Neuland Hambach GmbH, a key player in facilitating the structural transition around the opencast mine, RWE is poised to make substantial strides in reshaping the region’s energy landscape.

In line with the larger inter-municipal framework plan for repurposing and interim utilization of the mine, the solar-storage initiative has been aptly named the “RWE Neuland Solar Farm.”

Drawing parallels with the recently unveiled “RWE indeland Solar Farm” at the Inden opencast mine, boasting 26,500 solar modules, the “RWE Neuland Solar Farm” is poised to rival its counterpart in size and significance.

Katja Wünschel, CEO RWE Renewables Europe & Australia: “This is already the fourth large solar project we are launching in the Rhenish mining district within a very short period of time, again in combination with a storage system. We are stepping up the pace, in particular in our home state of North Rhine-Westphalia, and we are implementing every wind and solar project possible. Across Germany, the capacity of these renewable energy projects will amount to 1,000 megawatts by 2030, with at least 500 megawatts to be located in the Rhenish mining district. To this end, we are investing around €4 billion gross.”

Lars Kulik, CTO Lignite at RWE Power: “The “RWE Neuland Solar Farm” will also be built on a recultivated opencast mining site. It is located near the shore of the future Hambach Lake and will be reached by its water level in decades only. Until the lake is completely filled with water, around 40 years from now, the area is being put to good use temporarily for solar farms. In this way, even opencast mines that are still active can already contribute towards the energy transition.”

Upon its slated completion by the close of 2023, the “RWE Neuland Solar Farm” is projected to yield a formidable capacity of 8.4 megawatts (MWac). Distinguishing itself with the integration of bifacial modules, capable of harnessing light from both sides, the farm ensures maximized efficiency by utilizing sunlight and reflected light. The accompanying battery storage system, boasting an impressive two-hour charging and supply cycle exceeding 8 megawatt hours, functions as a vital buffer between energy generation and the grid.

Adjacent to the forthcoming “RWE Neuland 1 Solar Farm” with a targeted capacity of 17.6 MWac, the new plant is primed for construction, subject to swift planning permissions. As early as this year, installation could commence, fortifying RWE’s position as a leader in pioneering sustainable energy solutions.

Images for media use (credit: RWE) are available at the RWE Media Centre.

You can find additional information on RWE’s solar projects here.

Media contact:

Viola Baumann
Renewables / Battery storage
T +49 (0) 201 51795402

SOURCE: RWE AG