RWE has secured two new solar projects in North Rhine-Westphalia in the latest German Federal Network Agency solar tender.
The Manheimer Bucht solar farm in the Rhein-Erft district will deliver 17.2MW, while an extension of the photovoltaic project along the A44n motorway will add 19.9MW. Together, the farms will generate enough power for around 11,300 households.
Subject to permits, construction is scheduled to begin in the first half of 2026 with commissioning expected by year-end.
Katja Wunschel, CEO of RWE Renewables Europe & Australia, said: “These projects reflect our ongoing commitment to the energy transition in the Rhenish region, and we are keeping up the pace with the expansion of our solar portfolio. We are already operating seven major solar farms in the region, some in combination with battery storage systems. For the two new solar farms we are also examining whether it will be possible to put battery systems in place.”
RWE is already building solar farms totalling 86.5MW along the A44n motorway between Bedburg and Juchen, due to enter operation later this year. A further 19.9MW expansion is planned for 2026, comprising more than 30,600 modules on recultivated land at the Garzweiler mine.
The Manheimer Bucht project, located in the southern part of the Hambach mine in Kerpen, will feature 26,500 modules across 14.5 hectares, equivalent to 20 football pitches.
RWE currently operates seven solar farms in the Rhenish region, four with integrated battery storage. In April, it began building a new plant near Niederzier with 22,000 modules, expected to supply 4500 households once operational in the coming weeks.