Germany's EnBW takes FID on 180-MW zero-subsidy solar project

German utility EnBW Energie Baden-Wuerttemberg AG (ETR:EBK) said today it would build what it says will be Germany’s largest subsidy-free solar park – an over 180-MW complex in the state of Brandenburg.

Called the Weesow-Willmersdorf, the photovoltaic (PV) park is planned to become fully operational by the end of next year. Work at the site near Werneuchen will begin early in 2020 with the initial cable laying activities. A final investment decision (FID) on the project has already been taken, EnBW said. The utility acquired the Weesow-Willmersdorf project from Procon Solar GmbH when it was at a pre-developed stage in mid-2018.

Once up and running, the solar farm’s 465,000 modules will be able to generate about 180 million kWh of electricity, which will be enough to meet the demand of about 50,000 homes a year. EnBW will sell the output via the wholesale electricity market and its own customer portfolio.

Hans-Josef Zimmer, EnBW‘s chief technology officer Hans-Josef Zimmer said this project will give “a powerful boost” to the utility’s renewables portfolio, stating that PV projects of this size could be operated economically without funding. He explained, however, that this would be only possible if the government continues to give renewables a priority when feeding into the electricity grid.

“We are accelerating the expansion of solar energy and thus making it our third pillar,” Zimmer added.

Choose your newsletter by Renewables Now. Join for free!