Multi-utility Leipziger Stadtwerke will build Germany's largest solar thermal plant on a 14-hectare field in the Lausen-Grünau district of Leipzig. Leipziger Stadtwerke is part of the SpinLab partner Leipziger Gruppe. The project is part of the city's transformation plan for district heating to more renewable energies. The plant is expected to generate around 26 GWh of heat annually. This is a significant contribution to covering Leipzig's daily heat demand in the summer, amounting to about 20%.
A renewable and sustainable future for Leipzig's district heating
One of the key goals of the district heating transformation plan is to reduce CO2 emissions. The new solar thermal plant is expected to save about 7000 tons of greenhouse gas emissions per year after it becomes operational. "Solar thermal energy is one of the most efficient renewable heat sources. It can use about three times more energy per hectare than photovoltaics and even about 30 to 45 times more than biomass," explains Erik Jelinek, project engineer for generation plants at Leipziger Stadtwerke.
In addition to providing renewable heat, the plant will be optimally integrated into the landscape, and the area itself is to be designed sustainably. The plan is to plant fruit trees, hedges, and other green areas to create species-rich flowering grasslands and habitats for small mammals, insects, and birds. The agricultural character of the surrounding area is also to be maintained, with ecologically cultivated arable land.
The construction is a significant step towards the city's transformation plan for district heating to more renewable energies. By reducing CO2 emissions and generating renewable heat, Leipzig is setting an example for other cities to follow.
About Stadtwerke Leipzig
Leipziger Stadtwerke delivers energy to people in the region reliably and efficiently. Together with its subsidiary Netz Leipzig GmbH, it provides a comprehensive range of services surrounding the generation, transmission and distribution of gas, electricity and district heating in Leipzig. Together with Leipziger Stadtholding, Leipziger Stadtwerke is actively shaping the energy transition and preparing strategically and technically for future demands. As a competent energy partner with a leading position in central Germany, Leipziger Stadtwerke offers its customers smart, future-proof solutions for the green, decentralized and networked energy world of tomorrow. Its portfolio of services includes energy supply, wholesale, generation, distribution networks and energy services.
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