LEAG and project developer EPNE are accelerating the energy transition by advancing large-scale green energy projects to completion
On the path towards the GigawattFactory, set to become Germany's largest onshore cluster of green power plants, energy company LEAG, in collaboration with project developer EP New Energies (EPNE), will initiate several significant wind energy and photovoltaic projects this year. An important milestone is the first company-owned wind farm Forst-Briesnig 2 with an output of more than 100 MW. Construction of the park with 17 wind turbines on a recultivated area of the Jänschwalde opencast mine is scheduled to start in spring 2024, with commissioning planned for 2026. The wind turbines can supply 270,000 MWh of electricity per year, which is enough to supply around 77,000 households..
In total, LEAG green power projects with a capacity of more than 3,000 MW are currently at an advanced stage of development. However, the wide-ranging project pipeline of LEAG and EPNE extends much further with more than 200 projects: according to the LEAG plan, up to 7 gigawatts of renewable energy generation should be part of the portfolio of Germany's second-largest electricity producer by 2030, and by 2040 it could even be up to 14 gigawatts. In parallel to the large-scale expansion of wind energy and solar plants, storage solutions such as battery storage, thermal storage and hydrogen-capable power plants are to be built at LEAG's power plant sites. The intelligent control of the plants and modules will ensure a high efficiency of the GigawattFactory network.
"We are true to our word and are serious about the consistent transformation of our company and the energy region of Lusatia, which will develop into Germany's green powerhouse in the coming years," says LEAG CEO Thorsten Kramer. "Together with the local authorities and many partners at our side, we are utilising this unique opportunity to not only be part of, but to be one of the pioneers of a successful German energy transition."
"This year, LEAG and EPNE are entering the construction phase with five wind and solar projects totalling over 300 MW, thus setting in motion the consistent conversion of the Lusatian energy region. We are expecting approvals for over 500 MW of joint projects this year," says Dominique Guillou, Managing Director of EPNE. "Europe's largest energy transition project is thus becoming tangible."
Another flagship project, the ‘Energiepark Bohrau’ in the immediate vicinity of the Forst-Briesnig 2 wind farm, is also scheduled to start its first construction phase (133 MWp PV) in the first half of 2024. The energy park should be able to provide a total of 400 MWp of solar power, which corresponds to a supply capacity of around 400,000 MWh. This makes it one of the largest PV parks in Germany. Commissioning of the first construction phase is already planned for next year.
The PV projects scheduled to be connected to the grid this year include the Boxberg solar park with 25 MWp, the Haidemühl solar park with 22 MWp and the Jänschwalde 1 landfill solar park with 31 MWp. Construction of the 29 MWp floating PV plant on the former Cottbus-Nord open-cast mine and future Cottbuser Ostsee could start this year, depending on the progress of flooding.
All renewable energy projects are developed and implemented in close cooperation with the neighbouring municipalities, emphasises Thorsten Kramer: "We see the joint potential and opportunities for Lusatia. Local green electricity is already a decisive location factor when it comes to attracting industrial and commercial businesses. Green heat supply and green mobility are also crucial factors with which the municipalities stand to benefit. Here in Lusatia, this can be implemented particularly well considering our planned scale, because we have a large amount of potential land in the post-mining landscape where renewable power generation in large-scale projects is possible with comparatively little conflict."
Further information can be found at www.leag.de/gwf or www.epne.de. Meet us from 20-22 February 2024 at E-world in Essen, Hall 2, Stand D132.
Your contact for further information:
Kathi Gerstner, LEAG, Press spokeswoman Cottbus office, Telefon 0355 2887 3010, kathi.gerstner@leag.de
Thoralf Schirmer, LEAG, Press spokesman Cottbus office, Telefon 0355 2887 3067, thoralf.schirmer@leag.de
Margarita Schulz, EPNE, Team Lead Communications, Telefon 030 767584572, margarita.schulz@epne.de
Photo (c) Preview Forst-BriesnigII EP Bohrau EE Landschaft / leag.de
