Renewable

February 21 (Renewables Now) - A joint venture of German regional energy company envia Mitteldeutsche Energie AG (enviaM) and BASF SE (ETR:BAS) has launched the construction of a 24-MWp solar park in the state of Brandenburg that will power a nearby plant of the chemicals producer.

Construction work on the substation began at the end of January while work on the solar park started in mid-February with commissioning scheduled for the second quarter of this year, enviaM said on Friday.

The partners plan to install some 52,000 solar modules on an area of 24 hectares (59.31 acres) in the town of Schwarzheide, southern Brandenburg and the bulk of the power from the facility will be used to power BASF's production lines for cathode materials for batteries at its plant in the town. The electricity will be supplied under a long-term power purchase agreement (PPA) and will be enough to cover 10% of the plant's annual consumption. The park is expected to generate 25 GWh of green electricity per year.

To realise the project and operate the park, enviaM and BASF have formed a joint venture called BASF enviaM Solarpark Schwarzheide GmbH in which the chemicals major owns 51% and the energy company controls the remaining stake.

The subsidy-free project, including the solar park and the substation, will cost about EUR 13 million (USD 14.76m).

(EUR 1 = USD 1.135)

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