RWE Builds Photovoltaic Plants With Battery Storage In Germany

Can solar energy be used even when the sun does not shine? Yes, due to photovoltaic systems with attached battery storage facilities. RWE is currently constructing two plants of this type in Germany.

At Garzweiler Mine near the city of Bedburg in North Rhine-Westphalia, a total of over 58,340 modules will collect sunlight to produce green electricity for more than 7,250 homes. Garzweiler Mine produces lignite for power generation in nearby power stations.

clean and reliable supply

Sascha Solbach, Mayor of the city of Bedburg, “To secure a clean and reliable supply with electricity we not only need more energy from renewable sources, but also storage solutions like those being implemented by RWE at Garzweiler Mine. In this way, consumers can use solar power even after sunset.”

photovoltaic plant

The batteries are designed for a two-hour charging and supply cycle

A photovoltaic plant with a peak generation capacity of 19.4 megawatts peak (MWp) and a storage capacity of 6.5 MW is being installed directly below the Königshovener Höhe wind farm, which is jointly operated by the city of Bedburg and RWE. Work at this site has already started. Parts of the substructure are in place and the first solar modules have been erected.

The Jackerath project with a photovoltaic capacity of 12.1 MWp and 4.1 MW of battery storage is being built at the western edge of the opencast mine. The batteries are designed for a two-hour charging and supply cycle.

energy location

“Both sites together are roughly the size of 38 soccer fields,” explains Markus Kosma, Head of Production at RWE Power’s mines, adding “This shows that we are recultivating land at an enormous scale, with plenty of space for renewables available also in areas where we are still mining."

He continues, "In this way, we are ensuring that the mining district will remain an energy location going forward.”

bifacial modules

They also utilize the light reflected by the ground to the rear side of the modules

RWE Project Manager, Christian Meisen, said “We want our two combined photovoltaic and storage systems to be commissioned early in 2023. To maximize the generation of green energy, we are using bifacial modules, which are photosensitive on both sides.”

The advantage: in addition to sunlight hitting the panels directly, they also utilize the light reflected by the ground to the rear side of the modules.

“This makes these panels extremely efficient,” says Meisen. “And with the batteries, feed-in can be optimally tailored to meet demand. We are implementing this integrated plant concept at several locations at the same time.”

green electricity

A similar plant at the nearby Inden Mine is to be commissioned shortly. There, RWE has combined more than 26,500 solar modules with a battery storage system. The plant can supply some 4,000 homes with green electricity.

Another combined photovoltaics and storage plant is to be constructed at Hambach Mine. The latter also is located in the Rhenish lignite mining district. RWE wants to build renewable plants with a minimum of 500 megawatts of capacity in the Rhenish lignite mining district alone by 2030.