Shell Solar, GEOSOL and WestFonds open World’s largest solar park – Leipzig, Germany

SolarAccess.com: Shell Solar, GEOSOL and WestFonds open World’s largest solar park – Leipzig, Germany

By Shell Solar

Posted 9 Sept 04

Shell Solar, GEOSOL and WestFonds, have officially opened the world’s largest grid connected PV powerplant, comprising of 33,500 modules, with an output of 5 MW. The power generated from the solar park will be fed into the grid and will be sufficient to meet the electricity demand of about 1,800 households. The solar power station will save some 3,700 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions annually. Federal Minister Trittin, Minister for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety officially inaugurated the park.

The project was initiated and developed by GEOSOL, whilst Shell Solar is the system supplier and the prime construction contractor. WestFonds has with its acquisition of the solar park and the launch of the closed-end funds WestFonds Solar 1 demonstrated the increasing interest to invest in the renewable energy sector.

Hans Willemsen, Executive Vice President of Shell Solar, said today: “This project clearly demonstrates Shell’s determination and commitment to building a leading and profitable business in solar energy. Shell Solar has strategically been involved in the development of large-scale solar projects in Germany such as this, as we believe that these projects contribute to economies of scale, resulting in an increasing demand in the market for solar (PV) power. We are delighted to have worked with such solid partners like GEOSOL and WestFonds who like us, strongly believe in these kind of projects.”

The PV power plant is situated on a former lignite-mine ash deposit in Espenhain near Leipzig, once one of the most polluted areas of Germany. The power plant is built on 21.6 ha of land of which 16 ha are used for the solar system and around 2 ha are dedicated to create a biotope. The modules are mounted on a special designed wooden system of robin wood, placed in 6 rows, with a total of 33,500 modules. The power will be fed into the grid that is operated by enviaM Mitteldeutsche Energie AG.

Note to editors:

Shell Solar markets its products in 75 countries and has a workforce of 1,300. To date, Shell Solar has supplied solar cells and modules with a total peak capacity in excess of 350 megawatts. Shell Solar is part of Shell Renewables, a core business of the Royal Dutch/Shell Group of Companies. Shell Solar GmbH is part of the Shell Solar Group.

GEOSOL Gesellschaft fýr Solarenergie mbH is a company founded in 2001 by specialists from the fields of project development, financing, investment funds and photovoltaics. The company founders can look back to 30 years of experience in initiating funds. GEOSOL have set themselves the task of developing and building modern solar power plants. It is GEOSOL’s objective to create profitable and financially interesting capital investments in the photovoltaics sector.

WestFonds Immobilien-Anlagegesellschaft mbH in Dýsseldorf is the initiator of closed-end real estate funds. In 1997 the company emerged as a result of the merger between RWI Rheinisch-Westfýlische Immobilien-Anlagegesellschaft mbH (founded in 1966) and Sýd-ImmobilienFonds GmbH (founded in 1972) uniting 40 years of experience in 107 closed-end funds. Today, the company is integrated into the corporate structure of WestLB AG in Dýsseldorf. In 2004 WestFonds expanded its range of products to include funds from the renewable energy sector, with the solarpark Leipziger land as first investment project.

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