RWE has begun construction work for a new solar plant at a German opencast mine.
The photovoltaic plant is being built in the district of Düren close to the municipality of Niederzier in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia.
RWE already has two solar plants in operation at the mine, and this latest project will bring the total capacity to more than 60MW.
For the latest project, 22,000 solar modules are to be installed on an area of 12 hectares at the western edge of the Hambach opencast mine – above the future shore of the planned Hambach Lake.
The new photovoltaic plant is due to be commissioned in September. With a capacity of 13.9MWp, it will generate enough green electricity to supply the equivalent of 4,500 homes.
Mayor of Niederzier Frank Rombey said: “For the municipality of Niederzier, the expansion of renewables is one of the pillars of structural change.
“It is important to invest in the economic development of the region right at our doorstep for the post-mining era.”
Katja Wünschel, chief executive of RWE Renewables Europe & Australia said: “The start of construction for our new solar plant near Niederzier shows that the expansion of renewables in the Rhenish mining area is making good progress.
“It is important to us to get the people in the region on board – for example by involving the neighbouring municipalities.”
The new project will join the two other photovoltaic facilities already in operation in the Hambach opencast mine, one of which has integrated battery storage.
Together, the two operational plants have a capacity of 47.2MWp and can supply the equivalent of around 14,500 households with green electricity.
RWE operates these plants together with Neuland Hambach which represents the interests of the six municipalities located next to the opencast mine – Elsdorf, Jülich, Kerpen, Merzenich, Niederzier and Titz.
The municipalities have the option to take a share in the new photovoltaic plant in Niederzier as well, once construction is complete.
Chair of the supervisory board of Neuland Hambach and Mayor of Elsdorf Andreas Heller said: “Another 14MW will be added to 47.2MW of solar capacity that we are already operating in the RWE Neuland Solar Farm at the Hambach opencast mine.
“We are intending to take a stake in this plant too. It remains our objective to create a space that pays for itself with Neuland Hambach and that includes revenues from renewables plants in and around the Hambach opencast mine.”