Following the completion of an extensive approval process, the construction of RP Global’s first solar PV park in Germany has begun. The 50 MWp solar project is located in Harbke, on the Wulfersdorf spoil tip of one of Germany’s oldest lignite mining areas, on the former East-West border.
In its first phase, the PV plant is scheduled to achieve a capacity of 50 MWp. This is the first German project by RP Global, developed in collaboration with EPC MaxSolar. An expansion of the project is planned for the future.
The solar park Harbke is being built on an area that is already crossed by two existing power lines. Thanks to this infrastructure, the electricity generated in future can be fed into the grid efficiently and without the need for additional power lines.
Llignite has been mined at Harbke for decades. After World War II, the open-cast mine was divided and used as an important source of energy on both sides of the border. Following a decision by the municipality of Harbke to repurpose the area, green electricity will now be generated here.
A special circumstance is being taken into account in the construction: access to the project site runs along the former border, the so-called ‘death strip’. The border strip left behind by the GDR border guards in 1989 and better known as the “Kolonnenweg”, is a listed historical monument. Rigorous precautions are therefore taken to preserve the historical elements when delivering the park components to the construction site.
The Harbke PV plant actively promotes the expansion of solar power and has been included in the ‘Global Sustainable Municipality nationwide’ initiative as one of five model municipalities. The aim is systematically to integrate Agenda 2030 and its 17 global sustainability goals (SDGs) into administrative structures.
