EnBW, Thüga Erneuerbare Energien and Stadtwerk Tauberfranken’s 68MW Gickelfeld solar park in Külsheim, Germany has been officially opened.
The project is the largest operating PV site in Baden-Württemberg and in her speech at the ceremony, the state’s Minister for the Environment, Climate Protection and the Energy Sector Thekla Walker, emphasised the importance of the joint model project as an important contribution to the energy transition.
The 68MW plant can supply around 24,000 households with power and the complex includes two large solar farms, for which a common infrastructure has been built.
This includes the grid connection, substation, cable route and the network of paths on site.
“The energy transition is a major project for society as a whole,” said EnBW Generation board member Peter Heydecker.
He added: “Efficiency and cost-effectiveness in the projects are indispensable for their success. Partnerships and the joint use of infrastructure are a valuable lever for creating synergies.
“The solar park in Külsheim is a prime example of what such cooperation can look like.
“This means that these plants can be implemented and operated without subsidies within the framework of the EEG.”
The larger of the two solar parks is located in the southern part of the plant. It was implemented by Thüga Erneuerbare Energien together with Stadtwerk Tauberfranken. It has an installed photovoltaic capacity of around 38MW.
To the north, with an installed capacity of around 30MW, is the solar park operated by EnBW.
Both solar parks are operated without subsidies under the Renewable Energy Sources Act .
“We are very pleased that we have succeeded in realizing the Gickelfeld solar park in Külsheim together with Thüga Erneuerbare Energien and EnBW,” said Stadtwerk Tauberfranken managing director Norbert Schön.
He added: “The marketing of all the electricity generated in the plant by us and our partners shows how the energy transition can succeed locally.
“As Stadtwerk Tauberfranken, we are convinced that we will shape the future sustainably together with strong cooperations like this.”
Thüga Erneuerbare Energien managing director Thomas Walther said: “Together to success. From the landowner, to the project developers, to the fitter, everyone has played their part in the success.
“This is especially true for the local political decision-makers, who made the project possible with competence and openness. That is what still motivates me after more than 20 years of renewable energies.”
Walker added: “We have ambitious climate protection goals in Baden-Württemberg.
“We want to move away from fossil fuels and towards climate-friendly energies as quickly as possible, we want a secure and independent energy system.
“We are taking many individual steps to get there. A big leap is now the realization of the Gickelfeld solar park. It is a prime example of how great things can be created in joint work.
“I am very pleased that the park will give a further boost to the good expansion figures in the solar sector and is thus an important signal to the people of the state: We are on the right track, together we can achieve our goals.”